


Dragon's Wolf

by Foodmoon



Series: Oddball fics [24]
Category: Naruto
Genre: 'Imprinting' cuz my muse pulls weird things out of bad romances when I'm dark, Assassin slave Kakashi, Both dragons and wolves are territorial and possessive af, But I would like if you tell me, Dark, Dragons, Dubious Consent, F/M, Hatakes are infamous for a different flavor of drama, Institutionalized slavery, Itachi and Obito are the major character deaths, Itachi is dead, Keep your brain bleach handy, Kisame is a dragon, M/M, No attempt to follow canon, Obito Is Dead, Or write in this AU as is, Possibly bestiality if you squint, Rin is crazy-toons, Seriously how do all my dark fics end up with so much fluff?, Sexual Slavery, Slavery, So I can read it!, Total AU, Uchihas are infamous for drama, Who keeps pet sharks, Wolf Shifters, Wolf shifters Hatakes, Yes you MAY make an AU of this AU, idc, slavery is legal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-05
Updated: 2019-06-02
Packaged: 2020-02-26 20:23:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 10
Words: 23,118
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18724321
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Foodmoon/pseuds/Foodmoon
Summary: Kisame ordered a sex slave. That wasn't what he got.Kakashi is sodonewith the shit life shovels him. But he'll do anything to protect the last member of his pack.Rin creeps out Kisame's servants.Warning:characters may be somewhat OOC due to setting.Also, 'bestiality' aka wolf shifter popping ears and tail during sex. Possibly claws as well. Anything beyond that is up to wherever your mind falls on the gutter scale~





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> 100% total AU version. _Tosses canon out the window with an explosive tag attached and watches the fireworks._  
>   Inspired by <https://archiveofourown.org/works/8416873> by aHostileRainbow, and the two fics that inspired it [This](https://archiveofourown.org/works/4147779/chapters/9357063) and [This](https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8346859/1/Property-of-Sanji), as well as a couple days of fucking dark mood by my muse. Haha.
> 
> Kisame is a water dragon by heritage and keeps pet sharks. Mei is his secretary and has some fire dragon heritage, but is not a full-blood. Neither of them are people an average person would risk angering.
> 
> Slavery is quite legal, but restricted access in some ways. One has to acquire a slave through an institute and the vast majority of slaves are from bloodlines that have been in slavery a long time. Acquiring an ‘illegal’ slave or doing things to them that the institute contract restricts can result in severe legal consequences. Largely because doing those things to the first few generations of the slave bloodlines would have resulted in people being murdered in their sleep. _(And did, actually, thus the instatement of the laws, mostly for the protection of the owners.)_ It requires a certain social status _(minimum of upper middle class)_ to be granted the ability to acquire a slave legally, and slaves are far from cheap.
> 
>  _‘Imprintable’_ is sort of a chakra related personality trait. Basically they only _enjoy_ sleeping with one person in their lives. They won’t cheat on that person even if they hate their guts unless they’re extremely spiteful personalities. _I’ve read too many stupid/bad romances, okay?_ Anyways, it won’t make them sick or anything, just miserable. They don’t always ‘imprint’ on the first person they have sex with, but most of them do.  
> Since it mostly runs in bloodlines, it makes it easy for them to separate out temporary type slaves from long term one for sales. Not all of the long term types are from those bloodlines, but it’s rare to find a slave from one of those bloodlines that’s _not_ in the long term category, and usually in the sex slave category at that, though they also have a fair number in ‘retainer’ category, for those who need very loyal servants.  
> For instance, Uchihas are generally raised as guard type retainers, with a few ending up in other categories. Itachi was tossed in the sex slave category despite his high skills because of his terminal illness. Although despite Uchihas generally being ‘imprintable’, most owners won’t fuck them, cuz of the Uchiha reputation for getting rather…fanatic about things they love. Yeah, think scenarios that make Romeo and Juliet look like wannabe newbs at romance tragedies.
> 
> Itachi was older than in canon by the time his terminal illness killed him, so he was closer to Kakashi’s age.

Kisame looks at his new slave half kneeling in front of him, taking in the dark clothes, black mask and eyepatch, and the dark matte collar and smacks his secretary irritably, sending her sprawling. “I told you to get me a _sex slave_ not an assassin. How the fuck did you manage that?”

“Oh fuck you too, Kisame!” Mei snarls, picking herself up, smoke wisping off her hair in temper. “I gave them your stupid list and they said he’s the only one who fits the criteria! You didn’t actually put _sex slave_ on the list, you stupid ass!”

Huh. He supposes that _‘flexible, healthy, loyal, highly intelligent, imprintable virgin, and not easily breakable’_ could apply to assassins as well. It’s just that he’s never considered that before. Usually imprintables go to the sex slave or high-end retainer categories, regardless of their heritage and abilities, simply because it’s useful if one wants a life-long slave who won’t cheat on one or shift loyalties.

Most of the time, people only want an assassin for one or two uses before selling them back to the institutes.

 _Still…_ There were always exceptions.

And after Itachi dying on him…well. Healthy is required. He doesn’t want to watch another slave die slowly from incurable illness. As for loyal… Kisame’s a dragon and dragons are possessive and territorial in the extreme. What is his _stays_ his. A disloyal slave would shortly be a dead one. Which is a terrible waste of money. Not that he cares about the money, but Ao would whine about expenses _again_.

_Inherited retainers are the worst._

He ignores Mei stomping off irritably and narrows his eyes at the assassin’s sooty hair. _Actually sooty. Huh._ Kisame runs through a short series of handsigns and dowses the man to see why his hair is darkened in such a manner. _Oh, pretty. Silver hair._ Well, that explains the soot, at least, though hair dye seems like it would be far more efficient. Or even a henge.

The assassin swipes sopping silver hair out of his face in an efficient gesture, looking faintly resigned.

“So, how do you feel about becoming a sex slave?” He taunts, just to see if he can get a reaction.

“It’s an honor, master.” Is the smooth reply.

“Well tell me how you really feel, why don’t you?” He grumbles, annoyed at the lack of reaction.

“Saa…I think you’re a stereotypical, lack-brained noble who thinks hitting his servants for minor errors will improve their performance.”

Kisame…pauses. Runs the reply back through his head in disbelief. _Yup, he just said that. To my face._ He stoops and picks the man up by his shirt, dangling him mid-air. “Do you know who I am?”

The one visible grey eye regards him blandly. “Water dragon Kisame Hoshigaki of the Hoshigaki water dragon clan of Water, known for their viciousness and bloodlust in battle, as well as their inability to transform to a fully human appearance if they happen to be particularly strong in chakra.”

“You…” He realizes abruptly that the assassin is trying to annoy him enough to get returned immediately. _Tricky._ “I like you. What’s your name?”

“What makes you think a slave has a name?” He retorts sharply, clearly annoyed now.

Kisame shakes him roughly, not wanting to play his games when he wants an answer. “No one as troublesome as you wouldn’t have a name.”

The assassin sighs and droops dramatically in his grasp. “Kakashi Hatake.”

 _Well, no fucking wonder he’s an assassin instead of in one of the regular categories, then._ Hatakes are…well. They aren’t infamous for the same dramatics Uchihas are if they snap, but they _are_ just as infamous. They tend to come in two flavors: stupidly loyal and dangerous, and stupidly loyal and extremely dangerous. The last time someone was stupid enough to try to make a Hatake a sex slave against their will, two countries fell. Of course, that Hatake was a woman. The men tend to be less inclined to meddle in anything that smacks of political intrigue, even when pushed to a wall. And Kisame’s been fucking bored since Itachi died.

He grins. _He always wanted a pet wolf._

“What’s the matter, puppy? Been lusting after someone else’s cock?”

To his surprise, Kakashi flushes and averts his eye. “No, not- He’s dead, okay? And I wasn’t _lusting_ after him. He was an idiot.”

 _Ah, guilt. How fun._ “Well, too bad for you, puppy. You can’t marry your grief. Do you really want to find out what I’ll do if you try to bring it to bed with you?”

 _“Don’t call me puppy!”_ Kakashi hisses at him almost too softly to hear.

Kisame laughs and slings him over one shoulder. _This one is going to be fun~_

Even if the lanky assassin tries to kill him, well…dragons are pretty hard to kill. And it’s been a long time since he’s had a decent challenge. _Okay, other than Mei, who occasionally kicks his ass around the training field, because despite being ‘a part-fire dragon mere human’ she actually has three separate pureblood bloodlines and isn’t very human at all, just enough to fuck over her social status. Which is why she works for him and not the other way around._

Of course, Hatakes really aren’t any more human than Hoshigakis are, and wolves are tricky beasts indeed, so there’s a real possibility of dying, but if that bothered him, he’d be a poor excuse for a Hoshigaki.

“Snarl louder, puppy. I don’t think you’re any more dangerous than my little crow was.”

Whether he is or not, Kakashi is certainly more _expressive_ than Itachi as his body language somehow switches from sulky to curious while still slung ignominiously over his shoulder. “Little crow?”

“Mmn. Itachi Uchiha. Vicious little thing for all that he thought violence is terrible. I’d still have him if his illness hadn’t killed him.” And because Kakashi’s body language shifts again, he has no qualms about tossing him the several feet left to the bed before he can be bitten. The man twists like a cat and manages to land in a crouch, but _on his feet_ rather than flat on his back and looks like he’s contemplating whether or not he really should try to kill Kisame. Which, really, is a remarkable conveyance of expression, given only one eye is visible.

Kisame’s a _little_ disappointed when Kakashi visibly changes his mind and quietly starts stripping off clothes and weapons, as if it’s an ordinary event for him. He’d been looking forward to a tussle. _But this is good too._ Contrary to his appearance, Kisame is a considerate lover, and it will be easier to seduce Kakashi if he’s not struggling. He _does_ wonder, briefly, how a Hatake ended up in Water country, though. There’s never been a lot of them, and generally no one outside of Fire country can get their hands on one. In fact, for the most part, they serve only with two or three families, because separating a wolf from its pack is asking for trouble.

~

Kakashi shudders under the calloused hands gliding over his skin, forcing himself to accept this, because if he _doesn’t_ they’ll send Rin instead. And Rin is definitely not the virgin her records claim her to be. She and Obito may not have managed to procreate before he got his idiot-self killed, but it hadn’t been for lack of _trying._ It’s not _their fault_ that the Institutes couldn’t be bothered to update the records, but it could be fatal for Rin, because dragons are notorious for disliking deception. Hoshigakis in particular have a reputation for not tolerating it. And Rin…well. Rin is all he has left of his pack now, even if they aren’t pack by blood. He can’t lose her just because he doesn’t want to give a bloodthirsty water dragon his loyalty. And he can’t actually force her to lose him because of his pride, either.

He met Itachi years ago, knows that anyone who could tame Itachi would have little trouble killing _him_ , or taming him by force. Kakashi would really like to avoid the force part. Even if his instincts are urging him to die fighting rather than submit. Rin’s relatively safe because he’s a Hatake and she’s the last of his pack, but if he’s dead, then her protection goes with it. _Probably her sanity too._ She hasn’t been entirely stable since Obito’s death, and Kakashi’s the last of _her_ pack, too. Even if she isn’t a wolf. He can’t do that to her. So stuffing his pride it is.

That it feels good doesn’t really help his resolve, because it’s _humiliating_ and he has the feeling that protesting will just amuse his new master greatly. _He despises being laughed at._

Still, he’s not expecting it when with two fingers up his ass and his head going to white haze Kisame asks, “Where’s the rest of your pack?”

 _“You can’t have her!”_ He growls, then in horror realizes that he’s lost control of his shift for the first time in _decades_. Not entirely of course, but his nails look more like blunt claws than they should, wisps of fur hazing his fingers, his teeth are too long for this mouth, and he can feel that his tail and ears have popped out. _So much for taunting the other man about not being able to control his shift._ Then again, Kakashi decides he really doesn’t care, because that’s _his Rin_ being threatened. There’s a _reason_ no one sells wolves to dragons, and it’s because dragons are territorial enough that they’ve occasionally been known to kill a wolf’s pack just to break its ties to anyone but the dragon, not caring that it results in a maddened wolf.

A strong hand clamps down on his nape, pinning him. “Calm down, puppy. I’m not going to harm your packmate.”

_“Can’t. Have. Her.”_

“Yeah, not going to do that either. I like men, puppy. But you’re not going anywhere. You’re _mine_. So you should have your pack with you. You probably don’t want to leave her in the Institute very long anyways. They might get ideas about it if you do.”

Kakashi snarls outright, because that’s a threat if he’s ever heard one.

“I didn’t say _I’d_ give them ideas, but I’m pretty sure you’re the first Hatake that’s been in Water for a couple hundred years and there’s greedy idiots who just don’t understand what a bad idea that would be for them.”

 _“What. Do. You. Want?”_ Kakashi grits out.

Kisame flips him over with ridiculous ease and grins at him, showing off sharp, sharp teeth. “Give me your loyalty, little wolf, and your pack will be perfectly safe here. I’ll even let you make it as large as you want. Hm?”

He closes his eyes. It’s a tempting offer, much as he hates the clarity his transplanted eye gives him of his master’s expression, but… _It’s always Rin who suffers from his fuckups. And he knows better than to try to play games in this with a Hoshigaki of all creatures._

“I already intended to submit to you.” He admits. Kakashi knows his faults, and an inability to lie with his body is definitely one of them. There’s no way he can _fake_ accepting Kisame as his imprint. And Kisame probably has a point about those assholes at the Institute. He can’t _lie_ and accept a bargain when the bargain really isn’t necessary for Kisame to have what he wants.

Large fingers fondle the fluffy edges of his ears, making him twitch and open his eye to see Kisame’s thoughtful expression. “I won’t say I’m smart, but even I know wolves need their packs to be safe, puppy. I’m keeping you, so your packmate is safe here, and so will any other packmates you make. And you can just ignore Ao’s bitching about the expense. I may not be a Daimyo, but I do well enough.”

Kakashi huffs in amusement. The Hoshigakis are merchants who do _extremely_ well with their fleets, cuz _no one_ is stupid enough to try attacking ships owned by bloodthirsty water dragons who love a good fight. _Well, no one living, that is._ Kisame could probably buy two or three daimyos if he wanted. “Fine. Do you normally talk this much in the middle of sex?”

~

Rin is really not sure what’s going on. She knows Kakashi was quietly furious when they took him away this time, but he didn’t have time to explain. Then that lady who clearly has some fire dragon heritage and is hard of hearing returned and took Rin to this oversized estate and gave her free reign to wander around.

So now she’s watching a tank full of circling sharks with some fascination and occasionally tossing them fish from a bucket. She doesn’t really care that she’s creeped out at least five servants by giggling every time one of the sharks munches on the fish she’s throwing them. It’s just too hilarious a metaphor for her life. Her and Kakashi and Obito being tossed to the sharks yet again. No matter how much they struggle, they’re just slaves, just fish to be eaten up, mangled beyond repair.

She misses Obito. She misses how Kakashi used to be before Obito died. She misses being useful rather than a burden.

No matter how many times she heals Kakashi, she knows it’s not enough. Will never be enough. Not without Obito there. She’s not strong enough to safeguard herself, so Kakashi has to compensate and do all the protecting for both of them. No matter how much she gives him, she knows it’s not enough to equal what he does to protect her. Very few slaves have the kinds of safeguards granted to a wolf’s pack. Without Kakashi, they would have made her a sex slave and she’d be dead by now for killing someone who dared touch her body without her permission, because there’s _no one_ better at breaking bodies than a healer.

A large blue man wanders into the room, and she wrinkles her nose briefly at the stench of sex wafting off of him. _Water dragon_ her mind categorizes automatically and she giggles again at the thought of him crunching up the sharks as easily as they do the fish.

“You like sharks?” He asks.

She nods in agreement, tossing them another fish, and singsongs, “Crunch, crunch.”

“Yeah, well, don’t feed them too much. Fat sharks are an ugly sight.”

“Sharks and masters.” She agrees. “Are sharks tasty?”

“You better not be planning to eat my pets, little girl.”

Rin shakes her head. “Nuh-uh. Fish don’t eat sharks. I thought dragons might, though.”

He stares at her a moment, then scoops her up. “Alright, enough playing with my sharks.”

“Where are we going?” She asks curiously.

“To see a tuckered out puppy.”

“Kakashi got a new dog?”

That makes him laugh for some reason, but he doesn’t explain the joke, just carries her into a room with a very large, messy bed where Kakashi is sleeping peacefully, stark naked. He doesn’t even twitch when the blue man drops her on the bed beside him. _Oh._

“Kakashi’s a wolf, not a puppy.” She tells him. “You shouldn’t mix them up, dragon.”

He just laughs again and wanders off to take a shower. _At least she hopes that’s what he’s doing in there._

But this explains why Kakashi was so angry, at least. The Institutes aren’t _supposed_ to sell wolves to dragons. Wolves don’t _like_ dragons. Supposedly, at least. She knows all too well that Kakashi has a weakness for them, and it’s gotten them all hurt before. This one better take good care of Kakashi, or he’ll find out exactly how vicious an angry healer can be.

“Crunch, crunch. Shh, shh. It’ll be alright, Kakashi. I won’t tell.”

Kakashi’s big silver ears twitch in his sleep and she pets them because she doesn’t often have the chance. She couldn’t keep Obito safe, and she can’t keep herself safe without Kakashi, but she can keep Kakashi safe. Safe from anything but nightmares. _Maybe the dragon can do that?_ She’ll have to ask him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Obito is, yes, actually dead. And Rin has never been a jinchuuriki, so she’s alive and well, if not entirely stable because she gets shipped around with Kakashi as part of his ‘pack’, so he’s the only support in her life and she could _really_ do with more of her family and friends around as an emotional support system. It doesn’t help her mental health that she’s usually housed at whatever local Institute rather than with Kakashi, because Kakashi doesn’t trust most of his masters as far as he can throw them.  
> They ended up in Water because his current master decided that paying to ship them back was too much hassle and sold him to the local Institute. Which has never, ever dealt with a Hatake before. And really doesn’t want to deal with him a moment longer than they have to. Technically, he and Rin are legally a 2 for 1 package deal. So they _can_ send her in Kakashi’s place if he doesn’t please his master, even though that’s not technically part of the duties that they can be expected to do for their respective ‘categories’.  
> Rin is listed strictly as a ‘healer’, but they did in the past try also put her in the sex slave category, except Kakashi flipped a nut over it so they were forced to rescind that. There’s still a note on her suitability for it in her records, though. Even though it was a bogus recommendation at the time. The Fire country Institutes have dealt with Hatakes before and are aware it’s basically bogus _(wolves generally don’t flip out if the recommendations are suitable)_ and just ignore it, but the Water country Institute thinks it’s a real recommendation and they _won’t_ ignore it if Kakashi fucks up the wrong way, so Kakashi’s pretty damned pissed at his very limited options currently.  
> Likewise, Kakashi’s listed strictly as an assassin, with an option of guard work in emergencies, but since he _is_ an imprintable, they’re technically within their rights to send him as a sex slave. It’s just something that the Institutes closer to home would never be stupid enough to try. And helps Kakashi’s and Rin’s situation not at all.


	2. Introspection

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dreaming. Touching on other characters. Encounter with some nobles.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The tone of this chapter is probably far different than that of the previous chapter.

He dreams of Itachi, with his raven black hair and crow summons and lines of suffering caused by his illness. His love of tea and dango and peace, and his quiet devotion to Kisame despite the fact that Kisame had just purchased him for bragging rights, because getting one’s hands on an Uchiha sex slave is beyond rare. The sheer intelligence of him, and the way he’d set Lady Mieo into a fearsome genjutsu with a single glance after she sneered at Kisame’s looks.

Dragons don’t cry, but he wakes with tears on his lashes.

A sleepy inquisitive snuffle near his throat makes him blink and he realizes with some astonishment that Kakashi is sprawled all over him, a stark change from his earlier behavior. _So this is how a wolf acts when it gives its loyalty?_ He never would have pegged the lanky assassin as one for the ‘possessive sprawling’ thing.

Itachi had done it too, but it really hadn’t been too out of character, given the horned rabbit yokai blood that the Uchiha clan carries far too strongly for anyone’s mental health. Rabbits need attention or they die of loneliness _(or snap and lose their sanity, because horned rabbits have some issues normal rabbits just don’t)._

Although…wolves and their packs, he supposes. He wonders what exactly wolves regard those masters they imprint on. Pack? Mate? Master? Some combination thereof? Kisame knows that Fire country Institutes do their best to keep wolves out of the hands of dragons, but he’s never really considered why, before. Is it because dragons would like it too much? He understands the temptation of isolating one’s possessions for one’s exclusive pleasure, but he’s not foolish enough to ever _do_ it. Not when it would destroy the very spark that makes them so interesting. That doesn’t mean other dragons aren’t arrogant enough to do it, though.

Yeah, he can see that being a problem.

There’s good reasons that wolves have packs. Even if dragons don’t share those behaviors and needs.

He adjusts Kakashi’s position a little to move the pointy elbow off his ribs. _Kami, the man is bony!_ Kisame may not have his little crow anymore, but he knows Itachi would approve of his wolf. _So maybe he has a kink for scrawny and too intelligent. Not like it hurts anyone._ His dreams are easier when he drifts back to sleep.

~

Rin sleeps with Kakashi’s ninken curled up around and on her. It’s comforting, and not something she can do often. Usually Kakashi only leaves Bisuke and Guruko with her, because they are the least threatening looking so the Institutes are less uncomfortable with it. She even has a fuuinjutsu on her wrist that lets her summon them herself when Kakashi can’t be with her. He only leaves the entire pack with her if he thinks she’s in a lot of danger, or if he feels that he’s in no particular danger at all. It’s not selfishness on his part. She knows this. If he’s too badly injured or dies, his ninken’s protection of her is all but useless.

The ninken pack isn’t quite as good as having Kakashi and Obito curled up around her, but it’s far better than being alone in a sterile Institute, with only the company of her thoughts, and Bisuke and Guruko if she calls them. Her thoughts are rarely pleasant company.

With the pack around her, she doesn’t dream. And that’s a lovely, lovely thing.

~

Kakashi dreams of Obito.

_“See, I told you not to be jealous. That you’d find someone too.”_

_“You never said that.” Kakashi corrects, because that’s true. Obito was never that perceptive. Of course he was jealous that they loved each other. Wolves rarely found someone like that, and usually the Institutes resorted to ordering their procreation whether they liked it or not. All he remembers of his mother is that she was a little bit afraid of him and the smell of her. His father had raised him after that, up until that incident. Until they’d been separated and given to different masters in order to protect them from their former master. The wind dragon and her mate had arranged Rin and Obito as his new pack, to his dismay._

_But it had worked. They had made a workable pack._

_And then they’d almost all died, and Obito **had** died, and he and Rin were sent away._

_“Don’t worry, Bakashi. It’s my gift to you. See the world together with me, eh? And take care of Rin for me.”_

Memory, his sleeping mind supplies. But he smells salt, tears, and wonders if he needs to wake and soothe Rin’s nightmares again. Except Rin’s smell is faint, and the smell of grief fades quickly. He doesn’t protest being moved, just snuggles closer to the warmth underneath him.

~

Sasuke sulks.

_He’s got a good reason for sulking, okay?_

The idiot wind dragon is ignoring him again and talking to that snarly kitsune slave. He doesn’t _care_ that the kitsune is older than fuck and one of the most dangerous creatures to walk the Elemental Nations. Sasuke is an Uchiha, thank you very much, and controlling a kitsune isn’t all that hard with his abilities. _But no,_ of course the idiot wind dragon is paying attention to the kitsune, who is _far too interested_ in him.

Naruto is _his_ master.

He conveniently ignores the fact that the elaborate seals on the kitsune make Naruto Kurama’s master as well, and that Naruto has been practically raised by the old monster.

Said monster gives him a toothy grin. “Naruto, you should fuck your little rabbit before he sets the garden on fire sulking again.”

“I am _not_ sulking!”

Naruto turns big blue eyes on him curiously. “Does that mean you don’t want me to fuck you?”

“Arrgh! Moron!” Sasuke stomps off in frustration. _He hates it when they do that!_

Of course he doesn’t get far before the idiot dragon pounces on him and knocks him flat, to Kurama’s cackles of laughter. Naruto nibbles on his ear and he bites back a moan, trying to hang onto his temper. “All that flouncing. You must really want it. Or maybe you want me to call Sakura over?”

“Don’t you dare!” If there’s anyone he resents more than Kurama, it’s Naruto’s girlfriend Sakura.

He yelps as sharp teeth nick the skin enough to draw blood.

“Really? And here I thought you enjoyed being watched.”

“Bastard!” _So what if he does?_

“Well, if you’re going to be that way about it… I guess you can wait until tonight.”

“Nooo! Kami damn you, stupid dragon! Just fuck me, okay?”

Naruto laughs against his ear. “One of these days you’ll be honest to begin with and the world will end.”

“Shut up, moron!”

~

“Oi, Kisame! Who pissed you off enough to buy an assassin?”

He glances down at Kakashi, who is obediently crouched at his side, looking very assassin-like in his dark clothing and henged hair. “You mean my puppy? They didn’t have any others who met my requirements for a new sex toy.”

Kakashi turns his head and promptly bites Kisame’s hand viciously with teeth far too sharp for a human mouth.

_Oh, right. He doesn’t like being called ‘puppy’._

Amused, Kisame shakes his bleeding hand to make sure nothing important is damaged and asks, “Isn’t that taking ‘biting the hand that feeds you’ a little far?”

Kakashi blinks innocently at him, then goes back to pretending to be a meek little slave.

_Riiiight. Meek. Like Kisame’s going to believe that._

He strokes his hand through Kakashi’s hair, mostly to leave blood in it and annoy the wolf.

“What is it with you and rabid slaves? You should at least punish him for that, you know?”

Kisame chuckles. “For a scratch like this? I like him feisty.” _And next time he tries it he’ll get a mouthful of scales to try gnawing on._ He casually cuffs the idiot noble who thinks he has the right to strike Kakashi _for_ him, ignoring the squawk as the man goes tumbling in a flurry of expensive layers right onto his pampered ass. Instead, he tugs on Kakashi’s hair just sharply enough to make him lose the henge, enjoying the sharp intake of breath from Kakashi and the widened eyes of his acquaintances. “Up you come, little wolf.”

He intends to simply sling him over his shoulder, where he’ll be less likely to cause trouble, but Kakashi leaps up, shifting smoothly into a silver wolf with paws the size of his palm, curling up in his arms comfortably. _Well, isn’t that a neat trick?_ It bespeaks exactly how dangerous he is, too. Kisame’s pretty sure that most Hatakes can’t pull it off half as well. There’s a series of jerky snuffles against his elbow, which he’s pretty sure means Kakashi is laughing at the reaction he’s drawn. _Little terror._ But it serves Kisame’s purpose well enough. Maybe humans let others touch their things, but dragons? Better they have less temptation to touch in the first place, so he has less temptation to show them exactly who the bigger predator is, _very messily._

The soft lap of a tongue against his wounded hand distracts him from beautiful thoughts of mayhem and he looks down to realize that the silly wolf is _healing_ the bite marks with his tongue. _Healing palm is one thing, but this is a bit ridiculous._

“You can heal it all you want, but I’m not going to forget.” Kisame informs him.

The wolf snaps his teeth a hair’s breadth from Kisame’s skin to show what he thinks of that, then goes back to intently licking the wounds closed.

_Not doing it to avoid punishment, then?_

Kisame can’t say that he was expecting that. _Perhaps the wolf really has given him his loyalty? Hatakes are said to be more loyal than death. It’s just hard to equate the scale of a dragon’s passion with that of a le- Okay, maybe not a lesser creature. He’s not that arrogant. But one so much smaller and so different in form._

Then again, he’s heard ignorant humans call his kind ‘sea wolves’ before. Maybe he should consider that there’s more to the comparison than dragons and wolves both being highly efficient predators. _And humans being idiots, because fire dragons are certainly land dwellers._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uchihas have some _Lepus antilocapra_ yokai blood in them. No one has been able to explain why it gives them such a fondness for fire, but it definitely explains the periodic crazy and grand fake out/take over the world with illusions plans. _(Because it amused me, okay?)_  
>  Sasuke, because brother-complex, _requested_ to become a sex slave, was denied and sold to the Uzumaki/Namikaze residence, and promptly seduced Naruto because he wasn’t going to be dissuaded from his grand plan to ‘ _be like big brother’_. He wasn’t expecting to bond so thoroughly to Naruto by imprinting on him. He basically resents anyone who has Naruto’s extended attention. Kushina thinks it’s hilarious, Minato just rolls his eyes. Sakura thinks it’s hot and talks Naruto into letting her watch them sometimes. Sasuke’s _just fine_ with public sex because it’s a way of staking his claim on Naruto. _(Yup, he’s still a single-minded asshole.)_ They’re all pervs. Naruto’s all _‘mom doesn’t think pervy is bad, so I don’t either’_ , so he’s somewhat pervier than canon him.
> 
> Kurama was the ‘they almost all died, and Obito did die’ incident in Kakashi’s past. They couldn’t keep Kakashi there when they _had_ to keep Kurama after sealing him and making him a slave, because he was responsible for Obito’s death. Rin blames Kushina and Minato for the whole mess. Whether they were actually responsible or not, I have no idea. But they were forced to seal Kurama in order to keep more people from dying. Obito wasn’t the only one who died in the incident.
> 
> Also, I have no attachment to writing Naruto/Sasuke here. I just needed something to break up the dreaming moods there. If someone else wants to write more of them, feel free.
> 
> Kisame's not entirely convinced of Kakashi's loyalty yet, but he keeps considering it. The repetition of thought isn't a mistake. It's him being wary of trusting his conclusion.


	3. Gai

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kakashi sees Gai on the street and decides to renew their acquaintance...more or less.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No, I am not aiming for Kakashi/Rin. Now, Gai/Rin... Heh.  
> Hm. Further world building note: Having an heir by a slave is _legal,_ but not a common practice. Situations like Sasuke's, while rare for Uchihas, are actually not uncommon.  
> It's actually pretty uncommon for a significant other, whether spouse or girlfriend/boyfriend/fiance/fiancee to be jealous of a slave. This is largely due to the social stratas who 'qualify' to own a slave being raised with different expectations of marriage. Particularly the nobles, who can expect parentally-arranged marriages for the most part. And by that, I mean arranged very early on in childhood, or even before one is born.  
> It could be a more common problem in families/clans who don't arrange marriages in early childhood, such as with the Uzumaki or other dragon clans, but with dragon clans at least the situation tends to be short-lived one way or another. _(Either the slave gets killed or (rarely) sold, or ultimatums go down protecting the slave, or the couple breaks up if they're not already married.)_ For human clans, there's probably more in the way of 'selling' or 'ultimatums' done rather than 'killing' or 'breaking up', simply because most folk aren't as territorial and possessive of their things/people as dragons are. Youkai or youkai-blood clans would fall somewhere on a spectrum of behaviors in regards to the situation, depending on what kind of youkai.

Gai is…well, he knows he’s louder than he should be for a slave. He has scars galore from _extremely annoyed_ masters, after all. Mostly small ones, but a few more obvious ones.

That said, he really doesn’t like his newest master, who has had a shock collar function added to his collar to _ensure_ his silence. He’s had Water country masters before. Not too surprising given that his father is rather infamous for dying in defense of his master and taking out several of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist along with him. But he tends to be a disappointment to them for whatever reason and he gets sold along fast enough.

Oh, his skills as a guard slave are real enough. He’s one of the best and he knows it. But ensuring your guard can’t warn you is _stupid_ , and it’s pretty obvious that his master dislikes him _more_ than Gai dislikes him. Also, he’s pretty sure the man doesn’t _need_ his skills or even want bragging rights.

He stumbles to avoid stepping on a careless civilian child, and winces a little, anticipating the blow for his clumsiness. Not that he’d bumped anything or anyone, but his master doesn’t care about things like that.

Except…his master hesitates, because there’s suddenly a slender man dressed in assassin black between them. Also a slave, by his collar, but Gai can see his master trying to size up the risk inherent in _actually_ hitting an assassin slave, or shoving him aside.

 _Gai_ contemplates moving the smaller man aside, simply to keep him from being hurt, but something about him makes him keep his hands to himself for the moment. The assassin just stands there, eye-smiling innocently at Gai’s master, as if it’s all a coincidence that he’s ended up between them, and… Gai’s eyes narrow as he wonders what color the assassin’s hair is under that henge.

His master obviously decides that removing the obstacle is worth the risk, but a large blue hand reaches past Gai and snags the back of the assassin’s cloak, yanking him out of reach. “What are you up to now, little wolf?”

“Maa, maa, you said my pack was safe with you.” The assassin answers casually.

The large blue man, who almost dwarfs Gai in mass, if of a similar height, snorts and tosses Gai’s master a copper coin. “I’m buying him. Now scat.”

Gai’s master nods so fast that Gai briefly wonders if his head will fly off, then scurries off hastily.

The blue man reaches out and Gai realizes _just why_ his master had almost pissed himself as a wicked claw slices through the gadgetry bit of the collar that prevents him from talking. _Water dragon._

“Someone you know, Kakashi?” The dragon asks indulgently.

_Kakashi? Why does that name seem familiar?_

“Not really. We attended classes together one year. He’s Gai Maito.”

He feels his throat gingerly, then blinks. “Kakashi _Hatake?_ ” Truthfully, he’s surprised the other man _remembers_ him.

Kakashi gives him a bland eye smile. “You know any other Kakashis?”

“I didn’t recognize you with the henged hair.” He admits. “But Eternal Rival! I’m so blessed to see you again!”

“I don’t know him. At all.” Kakashi mutters aloofly to the dragon, who laughs at them.

“I would have never guessed you have an _‘Eternal Rival’_ , little wolf. And Duy Maito’s son at that. You have such interesting friends.”

~

Kisame is a bit surprised that Kakashi is choosing to test his boundaries by expanding his pack, like he had told him he could. He hadn’t missed the flicker of worry in the grey eye, despite the insouciant attitude. Not surprising, since Kakashi basically required his master’s consent to add to his pack, and Kisame is well aware of his own reputation as bloodthirsty and intolerant of fools. Of course, Kisame _also_ hates lies and betrayal with a passion, but it’s unlikely that Kakashi knows that. His little wolf probably thinks he was risking being beaten half to death for his boldness.

He doesn’t mind at all, because sassy amuses him, but he definitely didn’t expect to get something as good as Duy Maito’s son out of the bargain by humoring Kakashi’s little boundary-pushing stunt. Gai Maito is _built_ for rough spars far more than most people Kisame has met. And if he’s anything like his infamous father, he doesn’t _know_ the meaning of ‘give up’. It had been something of a scandal in Mist when the Fire Daimyo ‘graciously’ declined to make a diplomatic incident out of the rogue Swordsmen attacking Fire country citizens on account of a mere, low-end _human_ house guard had managed to kill them in defense. Mist couldn’t even dispute it, per se, since the Daimyo had returned the missing swords.

Sparring with other dragons is fun and all, but it’s a _rare_ thing to meet a human capable of taking him on. If he’d known who he was getting, he might’ve even given that coward more than a clipped copper. _Probably not, though. He recognized the type. A slave smuggler, and not the bleeding heart kind._

The illegal underground of slavery is enough to turn even _his_ stomach, and the only thing someone with their hands in _that_ deserves is a shallow grave. The Institutes are picky about who they sell to and making sure certain slave rights are enforced for a _reason_. He’s not the only one around who’s gone on extermination hunts for the disgusting little organizations that pop up. _Maybe he’ll let his cousins know that another one is around again. They’ve been whining about nothing to do ever since they finished off those pirates down near the Land of Demons._

~

Rin is a little surprised when Kakashi picks her up without a ‘by your leave’, but it’s not like he hasn’t done it before when something important has happened to their tiny pack. Usually it’s because he’s making sure no one is tempted to even _touch_ her as they change locations, but he doesn’t seem upset this time, so she’s not worried. She’s _more_ surprised when he plunks her into the arms of another slave, who is nearly as massive as the blue dragon.

“Pack.” Kakashi explains to her anxious look.

_Oh. He’s not giving her away. Her finicky wolf-brother has finally chosen another pack member._

“Pretty eyelashes.” She comments, trying to sound ‘normal’ so she doesn’t scare the new pack member away. By his blink of surprise, she hasn’t quite succeeded.

“I’m honored to receive such a lovely compliment from such a beautiful maiden!” He replies. _Loudly_. Loudly enough she jumps a little. Fortunately he doesn’t drop her, or even seem to notice, and merely beams at her blindingly. Rin could _swear_ there’s sunset over a gorgeous forest behind him and that light literally gleams off his white teeth with an audible sound. _How does he even do that?_ She knows genjutsus well, and it’s definitely _not_ one. _Is it?_

_No one has called her beautiful since Obito died. Well, except Kakashi, but he’s kind of required to say that, since she’s his pack member._

“Eternal Rival! You didn’t tell me that you have such a lovely pack member!”

_Rival? Is this someone Kakashi knows? She knows she’s never met him before._

“Maa, maa, Gai. Telling you would hardly do justice to her.”

“You are correct, Eternal Rival! I stand corrected! You could hardly do such an injustice to your beloved packmate! I swear I will protect her with just as much fervor as you would!”

“That’s nice, Gai.” Kakashi’s tone is… _weirdly bland_ in response to the declaration. _Almost as if he’s dealing with Obito again, but without the undertone of frustration._

Rin gives Kakashi a thoughtful stare, then regards the new pack member more critically. _Surely he hadn’t sought out an old friend and claimed him for his pack just for her? But it would be a very Kakashi-like thing to do, to find someone who reminded him of Obito to take care of her. She knows he worries about her, knows she hasn’t been quite right since Obito’s death. And truthfully, she can see a bit why this Gai would remind him of Obito. The relentless cheer and lavish compliments, to begin with. But his hair is straight, his teeth are **shiny** , he’s louder than even Obito, and he’s **huge** compared to Obito’s slim-with-boyhood build. And the lack of frustration in Kakashi’s tone means that Gai is almost certainly competent, or Kakashi thinks he is, at least, which…well, she loved Obito but competence wasn’t really his thing. He was still in that clumsy-kid stage back then. Never had the chance to grow out of it before THAT happened._

There’s a yip of surprise from Kakashi that makes her glance at him briefly, but it’s only the blue man hauling him off again, which isn’t something she needs to concern herself with. So she goes back to staring at Gai.

Finally she asks, “What do you do?”

“I am trained as a guard. May I ask your name, most beautiful maiden?”

 _Oh._ “I’m Rin. Rin Nohara.”

“A beautiful name for a beautiful lady! I am Gai Maito. And what is your specialty?”

“I’m a healer.” She admits, then narrows her eyes at the mark on his throat. “And you need to let me heal you, because that’s what pack does.”

And because he is a gentleman, Gai does.

By the time she’s finished healing him, she’s positive that Kakashi didn’t purposely seek him out just for her, but simply couldn’t bear to see him being abused any more. _That too, is very Kakashi-like._ She’s also remembered that she’s heard his name before, and where, and understands why Kakashi thinks he’s competent. And given she’s made a thorough medical assessment of his body, she has to agree with his opinion.

One doesn’t get a body like his by being incompetent nor the very defined chakra coils he has. If she had to say, she’d speculate that he’s able to keep up with Kakashi and the dragon. And that’s _saying something_ given that he’s as fully human as she herself is, and neither Kakashi nor the dragon _are_ human. The dragon is obviously a pureblood, and while she knows Kakashi has some human blood, wolf shifter genetics are dominant enough that even a genetic analysis can hardly tell that the Hatakes have anything but wolf shifter in their ancestry. Or at least that’s the case in Kakashi’s branch of the clan. She hasn’t met any of the rest of the clan to be able to compare.

She’s also half convinced that Gai and insincere have never met each other. Which she _knows_ can’t be true, because very few masters are sincere people. But if they _have_ met, Gai certainly hasn’t _acknowledged_ meeting insincere. Rin doesn’t think it’s because he’s like Obito and just hasn’t figured out how to lie yet, though. In fact, she thinks he could be a very _convincing_ liar if he felt like it. It’s just that he doesn’t seem to feel like it. Or maybe that it simply doesn’t _occur_ to him. Just like _not_ being positive doesn’t seem to occur to him. Though, it may simply be that he _refuses_ to be negative. _Perhaps both._

So different from both Kakashi and herself, who have learned the hard way that they _must_ consider the negative first and foremost if they wish to survive. Kakashi had learned that before she ever met him, and she and Obito had tried _so hard_ to undo that for him. It was only after _that incident_ that she had realized what a terrible disservice they had been attempting to do him. _She’ll never understand why Kakashi doesn’t hold it against them, but she’s terribly grateful that he doesn’t._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the record, canonically Kisame doesn’t think shark is tasty. He does like shrimp and crab, though.
> 
> The ‘illegal underside of slavery’ is pretty much all the worst horrors of slavery you can imagine. Occasionally the Institutes pay people go crack down on them, and those who are caught are subject to severe fines just if they _purchase_ a slave through there, those who actually run the show or treat their slaves in the same manner generally are executed. Now mind you, there’s a lot that can be done _legally_ to slaves, including killing them on occasion, so on the Institutes’ part this is largely so they can maintain their very viable enterprise without the hassle of slave uprisings or people trying to ‘fix’ laws to outlaw slavery.  
> On the other hand, there’s free ninja clans (including some of the dragon clans like Kisame’s) who now and then go exterminate local illegal operations simply out of boredom or because they find them disgusting to the extreme. People who _rescue_ slaves from illegal operations are able to legally register them through the Institutes, which is another way of promoting the activity that costs the Institutes nothing. _(Actually it brings in money, because there’s a low fee for registering one.)_ Sometimes those who want a slave and are too low ranked or don’t have the money to buy one legally will rescue slaves because it’s the only way to get one ‘legally’ in their circumstance. The fee is a little higher for them because they are technically ‘not qualified’, but it’s far lower than the price of an Institute-raised and trained slave through normal channels.
> 
> I’ll leave it to your imagination exactly what Kisame’s water dragon cousins did to finish off the pirates.
> 
> Gai’s smile-genjutsu has been altered to reflect the fact that he misses Fire country, and has seen far too many beaches in his life.
> 
> Canonically, Gai can’t remember Kisame, and Kisame is very resentful of the fact. That is not the case in the AU. Obviously Gai would remember his master, and enjoy having someone else besides Kakashi who can keep up with him in a spar.
> 
> _Also...to the nihilist with delusions of godhood who thinks every writer in the Naruto fandom is a virginal dried stick, or possibly a virginal cigarette, please get your doc to adjust your meds again..._


	4. Pillows and Snakes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gai gets a pillow to the face. Sakumo gets a 'request' that he finds obnoxious. Etc.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Smut, kinda.

Kakashi is enjoying a nice fucking, for a given value of _fucking fantastic_ and _moments_ away from the finale, when the door bursts open with an exuberant, “Eternal Rival-!”

His head snaps up and he snarls, grabbing the nearest throwable thing, _which fortunately for Gai is a pillow_ , and hurls it full strength. The _unwanted intrusion_ tumbles backwards with a thud and thankfully the door swings closed on him with a soft snick. Then he whines, because _Kisame has stopped_.

“Don’t like interruptions, puppy?” Kisame sounds _way too amused._

He snaps his teeth at Kisame’s fingers to remind him that he is _not_ a puppy and he _is willing to bite_ to emphasize the point if needed and to _get on with it already!_

Sadly, this does not have the intended effect _at all._

Kisame, _because Kisame loves being annoying,_ does start up again, but _very, very slowly_ and alters his position so he can finger the fluffy edges of Kakashi’s wolf ears, which have popped out in sheer annoyance at Gai’s interruption.

Kakashi whines again and buries his face in the mattress, but it doesn’t deter Kisame one little bit. The _stupid dragon_ has a fascination with his wolf ears that he doesn’t understand, and will spend literal _hours_ petting them if he can provoke Kakashi into accidentally losing partial control of his shift. He knows this because Kisame has done it twice so far.  Fortunately not their _first_ time, since he was more focused on making sure Kakashi’s submission to him was willing.

He bats at Kisame’s hands in annoyance. “Can’t you rub them _after?”_

_Please, please, please!_

Kisame’s smirk is so clear in his tone that he can _feel_ it. “Nope.”

_Oh, kami! Hours of this is going to be **torture**! Kami-blasted stupid dragon!_

“Why are you sparking, little wolf?”

Puzzled, he lifts his head again and notices that sparks are dancing down his arms and hands and leaving tiny scorch marks on Kisame’s dark blue, scale patterned bedding. He struggles to remember why that can happen and what the question was for long enough that Kisame actually pauses in rubbing the edges of his ears. “Uh. A breeder about ten generations back had some lightning dragon blood we think? Or maybe raiju. Institute didn’t have proper records on it.”

_Why the fuck is he answering ancestry questions during sex? Ugh. Stupid, stupid dragon. Stupid, stupid Gai. Why is this his life?_

“Hm.”

Too sharp teeth scrape over his nape _and it’s enough_. Kakashi falls over the edge of orgasm abruptly. _Fucking finally!_ He’s too blissed out to _care_ when Kisame’s blunt fingers resume fondling his ears.

~

Rin looks up at Gai’s sheepish face, noting the faint redness from impact. _Must have been a pillow to be that light a mark._  “Crunch, crunch?”

He laughs a little. “Yeah. Kakashi was very angry. I think I’ll avoid their bedroom when the door is shut.”

She nods and agrees, “Crunch, crunch.”

It can be easy to forget, because Kakashi makes a point of being laid back and protective of his pack, but he _is_ a very dangerous predator. Startling him badly is _not_ a good idea. She would have tried harder to warn Gai, if she hadn’t been pretty certain that the dragon was holding Kakashi down. Generally the scratches Kakashi ends up with from sex are on his nape and wrists, consistent with being held face down for the activity. _Which is really more than she wants to know about her brother’s/pack leader’s sexual activity, but at least she knows Kakashi’s not upset about it or harmed by it. He’d be a lot snarlier after if he didn’t like it. Kakashi thinks he’s a subtle creature, but he’s really, really not if one knows him at all._  

“I guess I should be glad that it was Kakashi, not master, who got angry.” Gai muses.

Rin blanches, because she hadn’t even _considered_ that the easily amused dragon could get angry over an interruption and unexpected retaliation from the dragon could be a lot more fatal that Kakashi’s probable reaction.

Gai pats her shoulder gently. “Don’t look so worried, beautiful Rin. I should have thought of it on my own. No harm was done, except to Kakashi’s mood. And my Eternal Rival is hip and cool. He will surely forgive me quickly.”

_Probably. Kakashi’s very bad at staying angry with his pack members._

“Crunch, crunch?” She asks plaintively.

“Of course we can go feed the sharks! They are most graceful creatures are they not?”

_One of these days, she’ll figure out how Gai can understand what she means on such short acquaintance._

~

“Eternal Rival, I-” Gai breaks off as the sleepy expression in Kakashi’s eye turns dangerous and unfriendly. _This is not his friend. He’s never interacted with wolves besides Kakashi and his father before, but somehow he knows. This is his pack leader, and his pack leader is very much not happy with him right now._

“Do. Not. Interrupt. Again.” Kakashi somehow manages to convey snarl without so much as a _hint_ of growly tone.

Gai hesitates, then gives a very small bow, and replies quietly. “I apologize, Kakashi. I will be more careful from now on. That was ill-done of me.”

Kakashi makes a grumbly huff, but the cold expression sinks back into sleepy satisfaction. “How’s Rin doing?”

He smiles hesitantly. “She is doing well. I helped her feed the sharks. And now she is sleeping.”

“Good. Be prepared. Master Kisame will probably want to spar with you. I don’t want you getting hurt.”

Gai perks up. Obviously Kakashi isn’t holding a grudge and sparring with the dragon sounds like _fun._ “Of course, Eternal Rival! I shall do my best to live up to your expectations!”

“Uh-huh. That’s nice, Gai.”

_Some people might take offense at the bland tone and phrasing, but Gai knows better. His wolfy friend has always been hip and cool like that, and it simply means he has faith that Gai will do as he says. It’s so touching! Gai determines that he will do **even better** than Kakashi’s expectations to repay his faith._

~

Sakumo gives the Institute representative a flat look. “My son was sold as a ‘permanent companion’, by which you mean ‘sex slave’, to the Monster of the Mist? A _dragon_ , which wolves are _not_ supposed to be sold to. So you want me to reproduce _again_ because there’s no chance that _he_ will be allowed to?”

“Correct. It was an error on the Water Institute’s part, but one that can hardly be remedied at this point, as I’m sure you’re aware of draconic tendencies in these matters.”

He lets a low growl slip out deliberately, aware how unnerving it can be, particularly from him, as he is normally on the overly friendly side for a wolf. “Given how badly the Institute has handled _my cub_ , I am less than motivated to produce _another_ cub for the Institute to mishandle.”

“Your opinion is hardly relevant to the matter.” The representative points out truthfully, though a little nervously.

“Mine, however, is.” Sakumo’s master points out smoothly, laying a cautioning hand on Sakumo’s shoulder and smiling thinly at the Institute woman.

He shudders. Sakumo doesn’t exactly _like_ his naga-blooded master, but he doesn’t _dislike_ him either. What he _does_ feel for him is utter respect for the amount of mayhem he is capable of and the cold-blooded disinterest he can do it with.

“I don’t share. However, I have sufficient technology to ensure a _cub_ is produced.” Orochimaru’s eyes flare, highlighting the resemblance to a snake’s and the eerie gold color. “My clan has need of an heir, so the _cub_ will not be turned over to the Institute auspices.”

“That…ah. Oh.” The Institute woman is obviously caught off-guard by the declaration, but Orochimaru has a _reputation_ for being someone unwise to cross, and he’s within his rights as an owner. “I-I see. I will, um, report this and make sure it goes into the records properly. You do know that the child is required to have a physical check by the Institute twice a year up until the age of 12?”

“Of course.” Orochimaru says, tone chilly. They’re all aware that it is THAT incident with Kakashi being in danger as a child that makes the Institute enforce the rule strictly in this case. It’s not the woman’s fault. There’s literally nothing she or any of them can do about it. If anything, it’s Sakumo’s fault all those years ago for not reporting his former master.

_Sakumo has no idea what his master is up to, although he’s sure he’ll find out soon enough. For the meantime, he spares a moment of pity for whatever cousin the Institute decides needs to breed in his place. Only a moment, though, because he remembers that the cousin most likely to receive the ‘honor’ is a jackass and that they mutually despise each other. Family they may be, but pack, certainly not!_

~

“Can you even make a wolf heir to a naga clan?” Sakumo asks curiously when the woman has left.

“I could if I liked.” Orochimaru gives that boneless shrug of his.

“But you’re not going to.”

“Of course not.” He smiles thoughtfully, an expression that tends to raise the hair on the back of Sakumo’s neck. “I never said I was going to make your cub my heir, after all.”

Sakumo decides he really doesn’t want to know.

“There’s nothing to say that naga-blood clans can’t have wolf retainers. It’s better to trust one’s siblings than outsiders, after all.”

_Yup. He **really doesn’t** want to know._

Orochimaru may be mistaken _by a few blind folk_ for a woman, but he’s most definitely male and so is Sakumo. So either he plans to use the same breeder for both his heir and Sakumo’s cub, or… _Nope. He’s not thinking about his master’s experiments. They give him the creeps, even if they **are** well intentioned._

He’ll admit, this has more to do with his previous master than Orochimaru and his initial assumptions of Orochimaru’s experiments, but despite knowing better now, he can’t help the instinctive grue that even the thought of them brings.

~  
**_Recollection:_**

His first few weeks with Orochimaru were…less than ideal. More specifically, he’d acted more like a feral wolf than anything. After the Institute had cracked down on Danzo, removing all slaves from his custody, he’d been sedated so they could treat his injuries. When he’d woken, he’d been informed that Kakashi had been separated from him permanently for the pup’s protection. _Needless to say, he had not taken that well._

Sakumo had taken being introduced to his new master even _less_ well, because he’d seen him once, speaking in a manner of equals to Danzo, discussing experiments. He had no way of knowing that the two had had a falling out years ago, shortly after he had seen them together, and that the children in Orochimaru’s lab weren’t _experiments_ , per se, but terminally ill patients whose care he collaborated on with Tsunade Senju, seeking cures.

Fortunately, the kids had thought it hilarious fun to be basically kidnapped by an overprotective wolf who couldn’t quite remember how to shift back to human. Orochimaru had tolerated it for a few days, despite the interference in the kids’ treatments, but had finally sedated him long enough to chain and muzzle him. Generally something that one was _not allowed_ to do to a wolf slave, but he’d been assigned to Orochimaru by the Institute for his own protection, so there was some leeway in allowed treatment.

Being chained and muzzled had _not_ helped his mood or rationality _one bit,_ of course, nor had the fact that Orochimaru smells like a curious combination of snake and human, something almost guaranteed to set up a wolf’s hackles. He’d spent the next three weeks snarling at Orochimaru and refusing to listen to him, despite the fact that Oro let the kids have free access to him and allowed them to feed him, since he wouldn’t accept food from Orochimaru.

It wasn’t until Jiraiya, who _looks_ like he has wolf blood, but smells entirely human, came to visit and spent time posing and grandly proclaiming his greatness between babbling at Orochimaru about the kids’ progress and trying to tell the kids lewd reminisces, that Sakumo had been startled enough to actually start listening and observing more than his assumptions had let him prior to that.

Jiraiya being Jiraiya, he’d almost stepped on Sakumo before pretending to ‘notice’ him and exclaiming loudly over him. Given that he’d been there four days and passed by Sakumo multiple times with the occasional thoughtful look, not even the kids bought that little act, but it seemed to amuse Orochimaru.

“But really, Oro, should you have him chained up like that? Isn’t that bad for wolves’ mental health?”

Oro had huffed. “Well, I can hardly send him back to the Institute while that senile old ghoul is on the loose. They asked me to _protect_ him. But I can’t have him disrupting the childrens’ treatments when it could endanger their lives, and I’d really rather avoid being bitten. Though at this rate, I may have to ask Tsunade to come do a check on him to see if there’s something _actually_ wrong with him. The Institute had him checked over for various control jutsus, but you know how they are.”

_Incompetent, his finicky tone had proclaimed._

“Hm.” Jiraiya knelt in front of Sakumo, putting his hands on either side of his head when there was no objection from Sakumo, and running what Sakumo vaguely recognized as a diagnostic jutsu over Sakumo. “He’s clean of fuuinjutsu, at least. They didn’t do something stupid like separate him from his pack, did they?”

“Saa… Come to think of it, there may have been mention of a cub? I think they placed him with that obnoxious Uzumaki girl.”

Jiraiya rolled his eyes and ruffled Sakumo’s fur, ignoring the half-hearted growl that slipped out in response. “Oro, it’s beyond me how you can be so _stupid_ when you’re so _smart._ Hey, wolf. Don’t worry about your cub. Kushina’s a bit loud, but she’s good people. And Minato is my student, he’d never harm your cub. In fact, he’ll probably spoil him rotten, if anything. I know wolves don’t like dragons much, but one old man isn’t going to get past _both_ of them to your cub, okay?”

Sakumo considered that. And realized that he finally remembered how to shift back to human, and that the muzzle was designed to come off if he actually shifted. _Huh._ Shifting, he removed the muzzle with hands that were a bit clumsy at the human motions. A cursory inspection with his fingers allows him to figure out how to release the chains as well. _Unexpectedly considerate of the snake._

“Like I’d trust someone who works with ma- with Danzo?” He asked, keeping track of Orochimaru’s reaction out of the corner of his eye.

Oro huffed and crossed his arms, looking offended. “I haven’t worked with that greedy old ghoul in nearly a decade. I’ll thank you to not class me with such a low life.”

He blinked a few times, eyeing Oro more openly, and finally decided that the snake wasn’t lying. _Maybe he should have expected it. The Institute isn’t totally incompetent, after all._

“I’m not so far gone that I’d bite even a _temporary master_.” He informed them drily.

An unnerving spark lit Orochimaru’s eyes at this declaration.

Jiraiya snorted and rose to his feet. “Really, did you have to challenge him, wolf? He _despises_ being told what to do.”

Sakumo had been puzzled. _But he hadn’t told the snake to do anything? It was simply that he knew the Institute well enough that he knew that he was unlikely to be left with someone who had no need at all of his skills, and less interest._

Later he would understand. Orochimaru takes small things, such as _‘temporary master’,_ as a challenge. And challenges interest him like nothing else in life. He _conquers_ challenges. _‘Impossible’_ and _‘unlikely’_ are simply terms that he refuses to acknowledge as applying to him. Anyone else would tell you that a naga-blood gaining a wolf’s loyalty, much less getting him to _imprint_ on him is _‘beyond unlikely’_. Wolves and snakes are natural enemies, after all.

Naturally, Oro had promptly set about accomplishing it and succeeded within mere _months_ , long before Danzo was finally apprehended and executed a bit over two years later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mei gives Kisame a long, extremely dry look when he has her order fuuinjutsu-reinforced sheets, specifically designed to withstand lightning and claws. Unlike him, she _has_ bothered to read Kakashi’s Institute profile. And since she hasn’t had a chance to kick him all over the training field in retaliation since he acquired Kakashi, she sends the order directly to Kushina and Minato. Not to cause problems, per se, but just because she’s feeling petty enough to give them a big glaring hint as to where their former charge is now.  
>  Generally, giving former masters information on their former slaves is _not done_ , particularly if the former master is a dragon. She has no way of knowing that this case is an exception and Kushina and Minato _are_ given limited information on Kakashi’s and Rin’s situation. Not, however, nearly as much as her order is about to clue them into. _(Mwahahaha!)_ Basically they’ve been told that Kakashi and Rin have been sold to someone in Water, specifically Mist, ‘known to be a stable master’. And they also know that lightning is a _rare_ element in Water, particularly in conjunction with water dragons, who aren’t all that fond of the element for obvious reasons. (Mist and Kumo have a downright _surly_ relationship. And most Kumo merchants are intelligent enough to _rent_ ships rather than lose them and their merchandise, or go by land if possible.)  
>  Technically, she doesn’t give any ‘unnecessary information’ when she places the order, but the order specifics are pretty obvious in this case. The ‘unnecessary’ part is choosing Minato and Kushina instead of one of the other Uzumaki in the business. _Yeah, out of all the Uzumaki who sell bits of useful fuuinjutsu that she could choose from, because **obviously** the Uzumaki wind dragons are the best at fuuinjutsu of all fuuinjutsu experts out there._
> 
> Yeah…so whatever the ‘other’ that got added to the Hatake line early into slavery didn’t do much other than change the color of their chakra and give them a hereditary lightning affinity. So Kakashi sparks if he’s very, very annoyed and not entirely in control of himself.   
>  Kisame, being Kisame, isn’t actually bothered by it, but would like his bedding to not catch fire during sex, so. And he takes a great deal of delight in annoying Kakashi enough to pop tail and ears. Partly just because the Hatake wolves are known for their skill at holding the human transformation. Partly just because he can. As for the apparent ear fetish, well, Kisame is kind of fascinated with the texture. Fluffy and furry are not really something he’s encountered much of. And while Kakashi doesn’t exactly _hate_ it, he does get this very expressive body language that says _“Why do I put up with you again?”_ which amuses Kisame more than it should.
> 
> So, ah, my hand slipped. Have some Orochimaru/Sakumo, I guess? _(laughs nervously)_   
>  Sakumo is a little inconsistent with how he refers to Oro. Mostly because he’s a bit inconsistent on exactly how he views him. Also, the present tenses mixed into the flashback are because these things are _still applicable_ , not just applicable in the flashback.
> 
>  


	5. Pack Members

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> New pack members show up. Kakashi is a goof. Sakumo flashback.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to JKblue for the suggestions for Iruka and Genma.

Genma will admit that he’s annoyed.

There are many things in his life that have not gone as he wanted. First he was in training as an assassin slave, which he was _good at,_ until a teacher remarked in his records about his ‘worrying enthusiasm for the job’, _as if cracking a joke was a crime_.

So they’d put him in guard training instead, which he was even better at, _thank you very much._ Until someone in the Institute looked at his bloodline profile and decided that he was better suited as a sex slave.

Now, don’t get him wrong, he’s _good at it_ , but just because he has a little bit of Ghost Lantern youkai heritage doesn’t mean he’s an _incubus_. That’s an entirely different branch of _Ignus Fatuus_. His sort are more closely related to oceans, and the dangerous sea mares that ride waves crashing to shore during riptides, and prance back out to sea in a swirl of foam, before diving deep into the chilly depths, and whose favorite haunts are undertows and other lethally dangerous currents.

He’s pretty enough, but mostly he’s average looking. Popular with young owners needing sexual instruction, but easily sold on once they’re confident and looking for someone more exotic looking for their beds. No one wants a _used_ sex slave permanently. And it’s not like he gets a break between owners. The Institute is always trying to get him to breed. _Like he doesn’t know how to use a little chakra to avoid impregnating some poor breeder? The Institutes can collectively go to hell. He’s not leaving behind a child to this life._

But this takes the cake.

Genma’s had some dumb owners before, but one moronic enough to casually gift him to a barely met acquaintance over an ‘idle’ comment, is a new one. Turns out that said acquaintance is neck deep in an illegal slaving operation trying to get its feet under it. In a decrepit, abandoned shinobi base. _For Kami’s sake._ He hasn’t exactly been treated _terribly_. Though that’s mostly because he knows how to read a situation, and can kowtow and act like a meek, eager and vapid slave at need. _However._ It’s already been _a month_ and there’s no sign of an Institute rescue in the offing.

_He’s bored witless._

Quite honestly, he’s tempted to rescue himself. It’s not like any of the assholes here would be even a challenge to his skills. There’s no chakra binding cuffs or seals on him; they hadn’t even bothered to add seals to his collar to prevent him from harming them. _And do they really think all those senbon he uses to keep his long hair up are merely hair ornaments!?_ Yeah, cleaning out this place would be pointless for him, because the Institute will simply reclaim him, but he’s getting tired of hearing the other unfortunates suffer and is starting to be less than convinced that the local Water Institute is going to bother with a rescue any time soon.

_Because of course he’s in Water, where there’s so much water and mist around that the locals occasionally lose small islands for a few years at a time. Not to immersion, either. Just can’t find the suckers. He’s heard they lost a Kage for a few months that way. Until they started talking about putting a new one in, whom the local sea dragon clan of ninjas decided they didn’t care for, so one of them went out and dragged the man back from wherever he was hiding out from his paperwork._

Probably he really should bother, because he’s pretty sure that one kid is from Konoh-

He blinks as his cell is opened and _a ninja with a Konoha hitai-ate_ and hands bound behind his back with chakra cuffs is shoved roughly into the cell. _What?_ No really, _what even?_ He can understand why these fuckers would snap up a Fire country civilian kid, but a _full-grown Konoha ninja?_ Mist may be known for its bloodthirsty ninja, but when it comes to illegal slavers Konoha gets _downright nasty._ He’s heard _tales._ This lot is obviously too _stupid_ to know they have a deathwish.

His eyes widen, though, as the newest captive proceeds to _scold them_ in a rather intimidating manner.

_Yeah, that’s not going to end well._

Fortunately for the new guy, Genma’s not adverse to doing something about it. He crawls onto the startled ninja’s lap and gives him a soulful look. “What’s your name?”

“Iruko Umino. Uh. What are you doing?”

“Me? Introducing myself.”

Iruka eyes him suspiciously, then his eyes widen slightly as he notes the collar. “Do you have a name?”

“Genma Shiranui.”

~

In the end, he doesn’t _have_ to do anything.

Of course, keeping the Konoha ninja from scolding himself into getting seriously injured puts a kink in things, because he really doesn’t feel like letting Iruka know his skills, not when he can possibly convince him to take him back to Fire country, because he is _so done_ with this shit. So he waits a couple days, making plans.

Genma’s not sure if it’s a good or bad thing when the Hoshigaki dragons show up and take great glee in slaughtering the slavers before bothering to rescue the slaves and other luckless captives. _At least it spares him the effort,_ he supposes.

Unfortunately, Iruka can’t keep his damned mouth shut long enough to be deemed _uninteresting_ , even with Genma clinging to him like a timid girl. _Most_ of the rescuees are freed or returned to the Institute, with three or four others besides Iruka _(and by default Genma, who is fairly sure the human is going to get himself killed if left alone)_ and oddly the Konoha kid who can’t be bothered to do more than sleep and apparently is one of Iruka’s former students, are deemed interesting enough to be claimed by their rescuers.

Naturally, because Konoha breeds the _oddest_ flavors of stubborn, Iruka harangues the dragon who claims them into losing his patience, and the Konoha kid sleeps enough that the dragon who claims _him_ decides there must be something wrong with him. And the pair of them decide that they’ve had _enough_ of weird slaves and decide to hand the problem over to their cousin.

Something about _“he’s been friendlier since he got that slave”_ and _“he’s the one who sent us after them to begin with”._

~

**Flashback:**

Sakumo is less than pleased to be all but dragged into the snake’s bedroom. He doesn’t _struggle_ , doesn’t dig in his feet, but it’s something of an effort not to. First, it _reeks_ of snake. And second? “I’m _not_ a sex slave.”

Orochimaru stills and gives him a flat look. “I am aware. You, however, run warm as most wolves do and will make an excellent space heater. Now get in bed and warm it up. _Without_ the disgusting clothes.”

Well, he has a point there, Sakumo admits. He really needs to bathe, but ditching the clothes will help immensely. They’re not as bad as they could be, of course. In wolf form clothes barely pick up any scent. But after three weeks, they do smell enough to offend sensitive noses up close. Or sensitive tongues in the snake’s case, he supposes.

Stripping and sliding into bed doesn’t bother him much; the sheets smell of fresh laundry rather than snake. His newest master shifting into naga form and slithering into bed with him, though? He can’t repress the instinctive flail of surprise. The snake seems to have expected it, though, and heavy coils of cool, smooth scale settle around his legs, taking advantage of the fact that he is not still to wrap around them with ease. Arms wrap around his chest, his master tucking his head under his chin and Sakumo can feel the quick flick of tongue tasting the air close to his ear before Orochimaru lets out a pleased sigh and promptly drops off to sleep.

It should be intimate. It should be _sexual_ to be in this position. But with the cool brush of scale warming to match his body temperature and his arms full of limp naga, it just… _isn’t._ This close, the mixed scent is not terribly unpleasant. Snake, yes, but mixed with human, and more peppery than true snake, like spice or poison. The quiet herbal scent of whatever shampoo he uses compliments the scent in a way he hadn’t thought possible. It’s still not a scent he likes, but…

With a sigh, he awkwardly pulls the covers up over Orochimaru’s back. If he recalls, chilled nagas tend to wake in nasty tempers. He rather avoid that with the snake’s fangs so close to his throat.

~

Current day…

Genma stops short when he realizes that the Hoshigakis’ cousin is _Kisame Hoshigaki_. The Hoshigaki reputation for bloodthirsty is enough that he’s been carefully avoiding being interesting, but this… Nope. Iruka may be a sweet guy, but Genma’s not dying for a perfect stranger. _Well, less than perfect._ He hides a wince as Iruka protests loudly _yet again_ that they can’t do this because he’s a ninja of Konoha.

Which, it’s technically true that they _shouldn’t_ , because generally ninjas in such situations are freed as much to keep from starting nasty precedent than anything else. But it’s _also_ technically true that they legally _can_ and most certainly _have_ already registered him as a rescuee slave. And Iruka should really shut up before they decide the risk of killing him on accident by way of hitting him while he has chakra cuffs on is worth shutting him up. So far he’s just been lucky that dragons are strong and know pure humans tend to be squishy, so they’ve refrained.

Out of the corner of one eye, he sees the other dragon drop the still sleeping Konoha kid on the floor and- _Yup, he’s not asleep. There was definitely a use of chakra to cushion his fall, there. Barely a sound instead of the thud he should have made if he was really asleep, despite the limp posture._

Fortunately for Iruka, Kisame looks…well, amused. Which isn’t precisely the reaction he’d expect from the Monster of the Mist, but… Curious, he looks around.  Two human slaves, playing jan-ken-pon in dead silence for some reason. And is that a do-? _Nope, that’s definitely a wolf shifter,_ reading a book. Or _was_ reading a book, since the wolf looks up at the sound of Iruka’s voice, then rises and paces towards the ninja.

 _Damn, he’s big. And white_. He only knows of one wolf shifter clan with that coloration, but surely… _Nah. It can’t be._

No one would be stupid enough to sell one of _them_ to Water, much less to a _dragon_.

The wolf ambles over to Iruka who is still scolding, _because Genma’s assessment of the room and the people in it has taken about half a sentence worth of time,_ and starts sniffing him. Iruka breaks off abruptly, looking startled and a tad nervous. “Ah, um. Hey there, what are you doing? Nice doggy?”

The wolf snaps his teeth warningly, making Iruka jolt and stumble back half a step, then sticks his nose against Iruka’s crotch in obvious retaliation.

“What? Hey! No, don’t stick your nose there. Sniff somewhere else. Bad dog!”

Again the wolf snaps his teeth in warning and out of the corner of his eyes Genma notices the two dragons who brought them faltering in their explanation to give the wolf slightly uneasy glances.

“No! Bad girl!”

_Genma despairs of the teacher’s common sense. It’s obvious he has none._

The wolf snaps his teeth a hair’s breadth from Iruka, with emphasis, and Iruka takes a full step back this time, looking uncertain.

He knows the wolf shifter _can’t be_ , but it slips out anyways, “Hatake.”

The wolf pauses and looks at him, ears swiveling towards him in curious attentiveness.

 _Oh, kami, it **is**_ _a Hatake! How in the hell-?_

“I know it’s amusing when he’s flustered, but quit teasing him before he hurts himself.”

The Hatake wolf flicks an ear at him in a manner that somehow conveys _‘spoilsport’_ , then walks around behind Iruka, who squawks a moment later.

“What? Hey! No! _Don’t bite me!_ ” There’s the rattle of metal as Iruka struggles vainly against the chakra cuffs to get his hands away from the wolf. Then the squeal of tortured, stressed metal and a crunching sound reminiscent of someone chewing on tinfoil, before the wolf spits the mangled bits out on the floor.

_Showoff._

Iruka looks startled at having his hands free, with only the twisted remnants around his wrists.

The wolf doesn’t do anything further, though. Just turns and strolls up to Genma, sniffing him in a cursory manner that Genma wisely _does not protest_. He startles a little when the wolf goes behind him, then rears up so his paws are on Genma’s shoulders, but manages to not jerk away as the wolf sniffs at his hair, then tugs _just so_ , sending his hair tumbling down to full length, spilling out all the senbon that had held it up to clatter with the ping of metal on the floor.

 _Oh, hell._ Suddenly he has the interested attention of all three dragons and _nope, nope, nope._ He almost falls on his face as the wolf shoulders him towards the pair of humans, but takes the hint and walks towards them, not pausing to pick up his faithful weapons. _Being claimed for a wolf’s pack was not in his plans, but it’s a fair bit safer than being the direct object of a Hoshigaki’s interest._ Weapons can be replaced. The two humans must be the rest of Hatake’s pack, which at least explains their presence, if not the weirdly silent game of rock-paper-scissors that has continued despite the humans obviously not missing the wolfy drama games.

By the time he turns around, Hatake is sniffing at the Konoha kid, and he notices in amusement that the dragon who brought the kid is a couple steps further away than he was before. _Apparently chewing through metal like a rotten stick intimidates dragons, too, even though it’s something they can do in their other forms as well._ Hatake sets his teeth into the back of the kid’s shirt and starts dragging the limp form across the floor.

Hatake manages to get about a third of the way to them when there’s a sudden hitch, which is puzzling until Genma realizes that the kid must be a Nara and is using one of their famous shadow binding techniques. _Despite apparently being asleep still._ The wolf hesitates only a fraction of a moment before tensing for extra leverage and _sparking_ , disrupting the shadow between them, then giving a sharp yank as the Nara kid yelps and drops his jutsu in surrender. He drags the kid over to them, and drops him near the woman, looking smug.

Genma resists the urge to facepalm when Hatake moves a few paces off and settles back down to read the book he’d abandoned earlier. _Really?_

He misses exactly what Kisame says to his cousins to send them off, but he breathes a sigh of relief when they’re gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Genma has some will-o-wisp blood. ‘Ignus Fatuus’. ‘Lantern ghost’ (my version).   
>  Uhhh, I was falling asleep contemplating it and the thing ended up kind of weird. Just go with it. Lol. I promise it’s all related _some_ way to my various researches on his names.  
>  He has long hair because he’s a sex slave, not the canonical shoulder-length.  
>  Also, he’s not doing anything sexual to Iruka, just playing on the ‘timid sex slave’…trope for lack of a better word. Genma isn’t timid in any sense of the word. But he is good at playing to people’s assumptions and prejudices.  
>  He does have a note in his file that he’s _suitable_ as a long-term slave, but probably the longest he’s ever had an owner is about 3-4yrs. _Because the young and privileged tend to get bored with their toys._
> 
> Shikamaru is narcoleptic. It’s fairly severe. He can function as a ninja, because he put a heck of a lot more effort in than in canon, but he knows very well how much of a liability he can be. And he _hates_ it. He got captured on a minor mission when he fell asleep without warning. When he woke up he was kind of like, _“…Fuck it. I’m going to sleep as long as no one is bothering me.”_ He sleeps instead of cloud watching, usually.
> 
> Iruka is pretty much being Iruka. He may sound worse because it’s coming from Genma’s pov, and Genma was raised a slave. I’m not exactly sure how he got captured, but rest assured, it was some coincidence of moronic circumstances. Aka, he’s mysteriously become a magnet for being captured by illegal slavers. _(evil author cackles)_
> 
> So. I didn’t quite intend for all three to show up at the same time, same place. But I’ve been sick and I keep forgetting what I’m intending to write (grumbles), so I resorted to making sketchy notes of who I was intending to write in and who had been suggested to be written in, and decided that it wasn’t a stretch to have Iruka _and_ Genma show up. Except then I remembered that I’d intended to add Shikamaru to Kakashi’s pack, so… Yeah, didn’t think repetitive versions of individuals being rescued from illegal slavers in the same area would be great, and was too out of it to come up with anything more complex.


	6. Shikamaru

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wherein a number of people hear things they'd rather not. And all the scenes are somehow related to Shikamaru. Which was kind of accidental.  
> The last scene was either going to be Sai or Shika, so I asked a reader. (shrugs)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hm. Anyone have thoughts on who or what they'd like to see in this fic? I have...maybe three scenes left in my head, so...if you want to see more than a single chapter after this...? Anyways.  
> I should probably see if the muse will cooperate on adding to/finishing up some of the older fics...

“So, little wolf. What should I do with that one?” The big, blue…dragon in human form asks the oversized white dog, which is apparently a wolf shifter and doesn’t like being called ‘doggy’ or possibly just likes playing mind games with innocent school teachers. And apparently relaxes by reading…wait, is that _porn?_ Surely not. The brief glimpse of the cover as the wolf flipped a page _must_ be misleading.

The wolf casually shifts into a black clad man with a facemask and eyepatch, and without looking up, hums in thought. “Oh. Him. He’d be a terrible slave. Just have his registration revoked and send him back to Konoha.”

“Oh, really? And here I thought you were claiming him for your pack.” The dragon, who Iruka vaguely recognizes now as Kisame Hoshigaki, some S rank Mist nin in the bingo book for whatever reason, comments.

The _assassin slave_ /wolf shifter actually looks up at that and manages an eye smile that oozes sadistic cheer. “Maa, maa, it’s not like he has to be _here_ for him to be a part of my pack. It shouldn’t be difficult to check up on him at need, right?”

_What?_

“No, you can’t just claim me as part of your pack.” Iruka objects reasonably.

“Already did.” Hatake _(that’s what Genma called him, right?)_ says amiably and goes back to his book.

_Uh. No._

“You didn’t even ask me first, Hatake!”

There is a… _pause._ Then Hatake looks up with a sweet, sweet eye smile that belies the sheer amount of KI suddenly flooding the room. “Well, then. Teacher of Konoha, whom I’ve just saved from a life of slavery, you’re going to join my pack so I can assure myself that you’re not getting yourself in similar situations again as thanks for my kindness, right? Konoha nin like you _are_ known for their honor, right?”

Iruka frowns. _That’s blatant blackmail._ On the other hand… He supposes if it keeps the wolf from worrying, even over something so obviously _ridiculous_ , he can stand agreeing to letting Hatake check up on him occasionally. _Besides…_ , he thinks, idly picking off the last section of _utterly ruined_ chakra cuffs, _it’s probably better to not overly annoy someone with Hatake’s obvious tempermental issues when they have the ability to chew through metal like it’s merely a minor inconvenience._ Still, the KI pressure is a bit rude.

“There, see? I knew you could do it. And if that’s all you want, of course I’d be, um. Honored to join your pack.” One should encourage good manners, after all.

Hatake gives him a judging stare, then says mildly. “Good nin.”

The KI vanishes like it had never been and the silver haired assassin goes back to reading.

Iruka decides that, even though he knows he’s actually a thoroughly _mediocre_ ninja, it’s not wrong if he takes the compliment this time. _Even if he **does** have the nagging feeling that it sounds awfully like ‘good dog’ in reverse._

~

“No.”

Iruka blinks at his former student, who has apparently fallen asleep after his brief reply. “Don’t think I don’t know you’re still awake, Shikamaru. Of course you’re going back to Konoha with me.”

Shikamaru heaves a sigh that speaks of longsuffering, and opens one eye. “If you think that Hatake has any plans to let me leave, think again. And unlike you, I have no reason to go back. I’m a _liability_ as a ninja. Do you know how I ended up here? I fell asleep. On. A. Mission. You know there’s a high probability of that happening again, but on an _actually important_ mission.”

“He can’t- He can’t just _keep_ you.”

“Uh, yeah. He can. Under Institute law, ninjas who are rescued on unsanctioned raids of illegal slavers by those not of their village can be kept as a reward if the rescuer feels like paying the registration fee. You should be happy that Hatake thinks you’re better off as a free nin and that Hoshigaki feels like humoring him. Legally a wolf cannot be separated from their pack unless the wolf _specifically_ allows it, or if a pack child is of normal age to be sold and the master does not wish to keep the child any longer. In the latter case, a replacement pack of at least two members is required to be arranged for the separated child if they are a wolf.”

Iruka blinks again, wondering why his highly intelligent former student had bothered to read up on slavery laws for wolf shifters in particular. “Oh. I didn’t realize. But I- Will you be alright? What do I tell your father?”

“I’ll be fine. Hatakes are intensely protective of their packs and it’s obvious he’s not one of the few who abuses their privileges. Just tell my father, _the Jounin Commander,_ that I was rescued by dragons and claimed by a Hatake. He’ll understand.”

He winces at the reminder, because he’s undoubtedly going to get shit missions for the rest of his life for failing to bring Shikamaru back, even though that hadn’t been the mission he’d been assigned. There’s _no way_ Shikaku will ‘understand’ as a father, but Shikamaru has a point about him also being the Jounin Commander and needing to be impartial enough that he _will_ understand the situation, at least. And Shikamaru _should_ know his father well enough to be able to make that assessment accurately. It’s not like he can drag him home by the ear if he doesn’t want to go. Particularly if Hatake and Hoshigaki _also_ don’t want him to go.

“Shikamaru… I’ll tell him.”

“Don’t worry. He’s not going to blame you for it. …Although my mother might. Don’t let her kill you if she does. She’s a troublesome woman, but she’d regret it afterwards.”

 _Good to know where Iruka’s well-being ranks on Shikamaru’s scale of importance._ But a man should worry about his mother’s happiness, so he’ll refrain from taking that personally. He opens his mouth to say more, but stops as he realizes that Shikamaru has _actually_ fallen asleep this time.

~

Shikaku pinches his nose and sighs. “Dismissed, Umino. Get some rest. You’re going to need it. Turns out that the substitute teacher has some _interesting_ ideas on how to get children to behave and your classes have been on strike for the last month.”

It does his heart good to see Iruka look a bit worried over the notion of Academy students who’ve successfully managed to go on strike and thus have avoided any contact with the classroom for a good month.

 _Minato, that bastard._ Of _course_ it had to be Minato’s former slave who’d adopted Shikamaru into his pack. No wonder Minato had sent Umino directly to him to convey the news. He knew Shikaku might be tempted to try to murder him for gushing over how ~~cute~~ smart his ~~student~~ slave had grown up to be.

Not that he can hold it against Hatake. Wolves are well known for their pack oriented behaviors, Shikamaru has undoubtedly been plotting for over a decade how to get out of being a ‘liability’ to his clan and village, and it would be hard to come up with a position more well-suited to his son’s severe narcolepsy. _Particularly one that wouldn’t result in him being court martialed or declared missing nin, and shaming his clan and village._ As long as his son is happy, safe, and not boring himself to death, he really doesn’t care.

Now…

He just has to figure out how to break it to his wife.

_Troublesome._

~

Chouji doesn’t even bother looking at Ino’s expression, just grabs her dad’s arm and pulls him out of range. Sure enough, she starts screaming in rage and breaking things.

By the amount of startlement on Inoichi’s face, though, he has _no clue_ to why his daughter has apparently snapped at the news that Shikamaru isn’t returning. He contemplates telling him the truth, but decides that trying to explain it is too complicated and has a high probability of Ino taking an unhealthy interest in his words, that he’ll dearly regret. He doesn’t really want to deal with that without Shikamaru around to run interference.

“I didn’t think she was quite _that_ attached to Shikamaru.” Inoichi says blankly.

“Well… I think she’s just upset that someone else gets to boss him around now.” Chouji tries. It sounds a little better than _‘Ino has a creepy obsession with thinking Shikamaru’s her own personal minion, and a concerning somnophilia kink.’_ At least he thinks it does. Some days it’s hard to tell after hanging around with Ino and Shikamaru so long. _Normal_ is something neither of his best friends are.

He pats Inoichi consolingly on the arm as the man winces over several prized plants hitting the floor with the ominous sound of shattering pots.

“I don’t like it, but do you think she’d get over it better if I got her a slave to boss around instead?”

Chouji considers that, then nods. _He should pity the poor slave, but honestly he’s just happy that Shikamaru managed to find himself a good situation out of her grasp._ Besides, he happens to know that Ino would cheerfully kill to find herself with the prestige of owning her own slave. She’d certainly gone on and on about it a few years ago.

Maybe she’d moved on from it. But anyone assuming that Ino _‘moving on’_ from something meant she’s forgotten or changed her mind really doesn’t know her at all. And while Chouji is aware he’s not as smart as either of his best friends, he considers himself of average intelligence. He’s certainly not _stupid._ Definitely not stupid enough to make such a blatant misassumption with _years_ of evidence to the contrary.

It’s not like Ino’s _bad or evil_ or anything like that. But occasionally she demonstrates a lack of _sense of proportion_ that both he and Shikamaru have found a bit…troubling in conjunction to Shikamaru’s all too frequent bouts of vulnerability. He knows that Ino definitely wouldn’t _mistreat_ a slave. She’s smarter than that. Not to mention, from what he’s seen, slaves generally just tend to _expect_ owners to be routinely unreasonable.

Hopefully whichever poor soul Ino chooses just thinks she’s _normal_.

~

Genma is being sat on, by a…dream demon.

Normally this would be worrisome, of course. _If he were asleep._ Dream demons were not precisely _uncommon_ , but they were rarely encountered outside the realm of nightmares and sleep. Most of them were indifferent to those they plagued, but the ones that took enough interest in one enough to sit on one tended to be dangerous in the extreme and often quite hostile.

Then again, dream demon abilities tended to change peculiarly after mixing with human bloodlines. For instance, the Naras. One has far more to fear from a Nara’s shadows than from being sat upon by one. And to be fair, _he_ is the one who had grabbed Shikamaru when the youth fell asleep mid-step and started to fall. _He_ is the one who managed to clumsily lose his balance in the process and fall on his ass with Shikamaru sitting, fast asleep, in his lap.

_Ouch. He’s definitely got pebble prints engraved on his ass._

He sighs and tries to figure out how to get back up without dropping the scarily limp Nara.

Gai pauses and peers down at him, then sets down Rin, who has been riding on his shoulder for unknown reasons which, best as he can parse, amount to Gai considers it training, Rin enjoys it, and Kakashi feels it keeps Rin from wandering off. Rin hums a little, more serious than her normally just-a-little-creepy norm, putting a green glowing hand on Shikamaru’s forehead to check his condition, then shakes her head.

“He’s out for a while.”

“That is most unfortunate. Beautiful Rin, do you mind if I give him your spot until then?” Gai asks quite seriously.

She smiles brilliantly at him. “Of course, Gai. Kakashi or blue dragon can carry me if I get tired.”

Genma’s not quite sure if he should be offended or just grateful that he’s not included in that list. He _is_ perfectly capable of carrying a man twice his size for hours if need be. _On the other hand, his ass hurts and he really doesn’t want Rin’s creepy giggles that close to his ears._

Gai picks up Shikamaru and slings him over his shoulder carefully and with all the ease of draping a scarf over his broad shoulder.

Rin offers Genma a hand and he hesitates, eyeing it warily. Before he can decide to risk taking it or risk offending the healer, Kakashi drags him upright by the back of his shirt. He refrains from twitching at finding the wolf suddenly behind him rather in front with Kisame. It’s _~~unnerving as hell~~_ a little annoying that he’s fast enough to do that. Genma’s not exactly slow himself or prone to losing track of those around him.

“Maa, maa, Genma, no need to spend all day cloud picking. Kisame might get impatient, you know.”

Genma splutters, because _that is patently unfair._

Then he sees Rin’s indulgent expression and realizes that Kakashi _did_ do it on purpose, but not to get a reaction out of _him_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Minato is the current Hokage. He wasn’t yet Hokage at the time of the Kurama incident, but he was being groomed for it.
> 
> There were actually arrangements in the works for Shikamaru to end up in functionally a desk job once he got sufficient experience to be made jounin. Both because he’s Shikaku’s son and because he’s so ridiculously smart, Konoha had _no plans_ to waste his potential by not making accommodations for his condition.  
>  Shikamaru _did_ know this. He just didn’t agree with it. He’s rather prideful about not wanting to be a liability.  
>  Shikaku is also a ridiculously smart man. He’s not very surprised at Shikamaru finding a way out of being a ninja. Moreover, he’s glad that it managed to happen in a way that doesn’t result in a political nightmare for him.
> 
> Dear, dear, Chouji… You may regret that hope.  
>  And no, Ino hasn’t actually _done_ anything to Shikamaru. She’s not an actual villainess, despite _tendencies_. And she’s actually extremely protective of Shikamaru. But she has managed to creep both boys out a few times by accident. She doesn’t actually have somnophilia either. What she does have is an extra helping of Yamanaka fascination for weaknesses.
> 
> They’re out on a ramble through the market/shopping trip. Probably because Mei threatened to kill Kakashi for stealing her Icha Icha again. Ahem. :D


	7. Parsing Socialization

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shikamaru has to parse wolfy body language. Kisame speculates on Kakashi's social tells. Sai tries to parse socialization cues and fails as per normal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Incidentally, headcanon that Kisame’s place is very large (because he’s wealthy), and the public rooms are huge, the halls extra wide, and all the ceilings stupidly high (to account for sudden shapeshifting of dragons when inside). The bathrooms and bedrooms and other not-public rooms aren’t particularly _large_ despite the extra ceiling height, but are designed so a sudden demolishment of a room won’t take out the building’s main supports. Probably mainly or entirely wood or stone flooring, with area rugs in bedrooms (because replacing carpeting would be a _bitch_ to do every time Kisame or Mei ‘forgot’ to not use jutsus inside).
> 
> Slave children too young to be sold only nominally belong to the owners of the parents. The Institute has ultimate rights to them. So, if it’s determined that the child is a good fit to stay with the owner that ‘raised’ them, the owner doesn’t have to ‘buy’ them, but if not, they don’t get paid for the child in question when he or she is removed from their care. It’s not uncommon for owners who don’t want the extra cost of raising another slave to just hand the child over to the Institute directly around ages 6-8. Doing so forfeits all claim to them, but also absolves them of any further responsibility. Others wait until they’re closer to saleable age to hand them over, for various reasons.

Shikamaru is used to waking up in different places than he last remembers being. _This is definitely not the street he was walking down._ Sadly, even waking up with a canine on top of him, slobbering kisses over his face, isn’t foreign to him either, given that he attended academy with Kiba and Akamaru. But being woken by a wolf laying on top of him, alternately between blowing warm snuffles into his ear and licking his face with deliberate timing is a new one.

He finally gives in and cracks open one eye. “Will you stop? I know you know I’m awake now.”

The wolf raises his head and eyes him with something that looks like irritation.

 _Crap._ Now what? He’s not willing to kill the wolf shifter to get him to move, and even if he was, well, he’s not sure he _could_ manage it fast enough to stop the wolf from returning the favor. _Oh. Wait. Wolf shifter. And he’s been claimed as part of the pack._ Stupid is one thing he _isn’t_ , so he knows exactly what it means when he tilts his chin up and to the side, baring the line of his throat.

One not-so-soft nudge of a wolfy nose against the underside of his jawline, and he’s free from being pinned down. _Yup. Called it._ Wolf shifters are… Well, okay, _Hatakes_ are known to either treat a ‘pack member’ as the pack leader or demand their acknowledgement that the Hatake in question is the pack leader. And Shikamaru _had_ challenged him by way of using his shadow to resist being dragged. _And failed._ Because lightning sparks hitting shadow _fucking hurts._

Now that he’s aware of the trick, he can get around it, of course, but…well.

Shikamaru has no _ambition_ to be pack leader in the first place. Naras don’t challenge for _that_ reason. Besides, he definitely doesn’t want to take responsibility for the weirdness of this pack. He hasn’t _seen_ much of it yet, but he can practically _feel_ the potential for weird every time he bothers looking at them. Not that he minds weird, just…someone else can be responsible for explaining or ignoring it.

He’s pretty sure that Kakashi is the ‘ignore it with flair’ type. Reminds him a bit of Ino in that respect.

“Maa, maa, don’t space out too long. You might want to eat before Rin thinks about poisoning it.” Kakashi breaks into his thoughts with an amused drawl.

Shikamaru groans and starts to get up, then curses mentally. If he gets up now, he’s going to pass out again. “Carry me?” He whines, because it’s habit to ask Chouji when this happens.

The amused huff makes him immediately regret it, but _whatever._ He’s not too proud to ask for help when he needs it. _Well, not usually at least._ Then he regrets it some more, because Kakashi’s shoulder is _nowhere_ near as well padded as Chouji’s. The wolf packs enough muscle over bone that it’s not actually _painful_ , but it’s definitely nowhere near as comfortable as he’s used to. He regrets it more when he realizes that he’s being toted into the dining room while Kakashi is reading porn he’s holding in his other hand. Porn that is apparently swiped from Kisame Hoshigaki’s hot tempered secretary, who is mostly dragon herself.

By the third easy dodge Shikamaru is done. So. Very. Done. His tone is weary as he asks, “Do you think you could give the nice dragon lady back her book?”

Kakashi makes a humming, querying sound that Shikamaru grimaces at since it manages to convey a complete lack of intent to cooperate.

Shikamaru makes a nauseous sound at the next dodge, and clarifies a bit viciously, _“Before_ I puke all over you.”

A split second later, he finds himself sitting in one of the dining room chairs and promptly ducks a grab from a hand that gives a new meaning to _‘burning with anger’_ since Mei’s hand is literally _sizzling_ with fire chakra from the force her temper. He sighs as Mei chases Kakashi out of the dining room, seething at her inability to catch him. _Honestly. She only has to catch him once to put him out of action. What exactly does he think he’s doing?_

~

Kisame yawns and finally decides to intervene.

Kakashi has been dodging Mei tauntingly all day, but it seems that his stamina is finally flagging and Mei’s on the verge of doing something a bit more explosive than putting a few sizzling holes in his walls.

“Y’know, Mei, that’s actually _his_ book. I bought him the whole set and made him put yours back.”

“Like hell, Kisame! My books are missing and I’m most certainly not going to _lay on my back_ for him!”

Mei’s partial deafness aside…

He gives Kakashi a hard look.

“Maa, maa, I just stashed them under her bed. That’s where people normally hide their porn, right?”

A teakettle hiss from Mei makes him wince and go through a series of handsigns that ends with her doused and sputtering.

“Mei! **LOOK UNDER YOUR BED!** ”

She gives him a look that promises dark revenge and nods shortly, stomping off towards her room.

“Kakashi.”

“Yes, Master-sama?”

Kisame rolls his eyes. “Clean that up. And fix the holes in the walls, too. I don’t care if you have fun, but you’ll be cleaning up after yourself.”

“Hai, Master-sama!”

 _Amusing. Really, the wolf is lucky Kisame claimed him. Before some master decided to kill him for his sass. Oddly, despite the slightly mocking tone, he’s beginning to think Kakashi actually **means** the overly respectful term._ Kisame might not be the most socially acclimatized ninja in existence, but he can read body language. The wolf has stopped subtly putting himself between him and the slightly crazy healer girl, he’s been proactive about expanding his pack since that first tentative claiming of Gai Maito, and there’s nothing faked about his surrender in bed. Not to mention the occasional, oh-so-casual leaning against him, and the general omission of polite, respectful terms, only using them when he wants others to underestimate his presence or when he thinks Kisame may be close to the end of his patience.

Overall, _Kakashi’s newfound obsession with trashy porn aside,_ he seems to regard taunting and dodging Mei as a training exercise.

The funniest thing about it, though, is despite the fact that Mei usually wants to murder Kakashi, she’s actually quite jealous of Kisame’s acquisition of Kakashi because she _still_ hasn’t found herself a man. Naturally she’d demolish Kakashi in a real fight, but it’s hilarious to watch him run rings around her.

~

Sai is aware that he has a few issues. Mainly knowing what to say to increase intimacy with others. In general, his attempts result in irrationally irritated people. Which is clearly a problem, since he does _exactly_ what the social interaction books tell him he should do, and everyone tells him the books should help after their personal explanations fail to make sense to him. Obviously, there is some form of logic to society at large that the books fail to note properly.

Eventually he will find it and solve the issue, of course. In the meantime, however, it remains an issue. And prevents him from being chosen by a new master.

Granted, he’s not terribly pleased at being required to have a master, given what had happened with his first one. And he’s rarely offered for sale to begin with. But he is aware that others look down on him for his inability to interest any potential masters. _Shin would be disappointed in him, he’s sure._ Of course, Shin is dead, and has been for years, so his opinion should not matter, most likely. Then again, his therapist insists that Shin’s opinion mattering to him is the one _good_ aspect of socialization he has managed to accomplish, and that he should not discard that part of him.

So he is on his best behavior when he is chosen as one of the potential candidates for a shinobi client, even though he has been warned that he is unlikely to be chosen. He’s bored, of course, waiting as the client wanders in and out of the alcove rooms, and his fingers itch for ink and paper. Finally, they wander into his alcove, although he does not expect them to stay long. Potential masters never do.

Logically, the ~~old~~ middle-aged blond man is the potential master, the blonde girl his daughter, and the fat kid his son-in-law. So Sai _should_ be trying to impress the man. Just…he’s an artist. He can’t help staring at the blonde girl intently. He’s peripherally aware of being assessed and dismissed by the trio, but finally he can’t resist saying, “Beautiful.”

Sai is more than a little surprised when the girl blinks at him in an exaggerated manner and her cheeks color slightly.

“Why thank you! Tou-san, I want this one.”

The blond man gives her an incredulous look, then shrugs and sighs. “Alright, but you’re responsible for him, Ino.”

_Ah. Apparently they’ve been told that Sai is defective. He cannot blame the man for the logical response, but this means that the girl, **Ino** , is his master, not her father._

Ino beams at her father. “Thanks, tou-san!”

_Sai decides that belonging to ~~Ino~~ Beautiful makes this a ‘good’ day._

He quickly discovers that the trio was shopping for Beautiful, not her father, and that he is the only slave they will be taking home. The fat boy, whom he is not allowed to call ‘fat’ because Beautiful forbids it, is her friend and teammate, Chouji Akimichi. Apparently he _is_ allowed to nickname Chouji ‘chubby’, even though the difference between the words escapes Sai entirely. _Both mean somewhat overweight, correct?_ He suspects that he is missing another unexplainable nuance of conversational technique, but decides that it really doesn’t matter as long as Beautiful is pleased with him.

Although, Sai has no explanation for the fact that learning that Beautiful and Chubby are equally baffled at the notion of marrying each other cheers him up immensely. Perhaps it is simply that he won’t have to block Chubby out of his head every time he goes to draw Beautiful, since Chubby will have no reason to be offended by Sai choosing to ask him to move aside a little so he can draw Beautiful properly.

_Yes, that’s the most logical explanation._

Satisfied, he goes back to listening intently to Beautiful’s idle chatter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kakashi is, indeed, basically using Mei to train with casually. He doesn’t want to directly challenge Kisame unless told to, partly because ‘slave etiquette’ type thing, partly because wolfy pack dynamics amount to _‘don’t initiate a challenge the pack leader might perceive as serious unless you want to **be** the pack leader’_. Mei, though, is just _too easy_. He can’t resist, and legally he’s okay doing that as long as his master doesn’t object. Whether Kisame eventually catches on or not to the reasons behind his reservations is up for grabs. As is if he’ll do anything about it if he does catch on.
> 
> Sai and Shin- Their owner _(not Danzo, and considerably less efficient in his methods)_ believed slaves should be subservient automatons. When Shin proved resistant to his methods, he decided to take Sai from his slave parents at about three and hid his existence from the Institute so he wouldn’t have to send the boy to the required classes and checkups. Sai really had nothing to go by besides what his master and Shin insisted on, which did tend to contradict each other, so he grew up much like Sai in canon, unable to relate very well. This might’ve continued on indefinitely if Shin had not gotten sick and their master started abusing him for it. _(i.e. Hitting him when he coughed kind of thing.)_ Sai calmly _(for a given value of Sai-style freak-out)_ killed their master and the incident got reported, which led to the Institute folks showing up and discovering Sai’s existence and facing Sai’s somewhat creepy insistence that the cure Shin.  
> Unfortunately, while his illness had manifested not long before, Shin’s illness was caused by a bad mix of youkai genetics going wrong, and proved to be fatal in short order despite their best efforts. As a result, Sai went basically catatonic for a couple years. By the time he snapped out of it, ‘fixing’ his social skills with socialization was basically a lost cause. As per Institute procedure, they slapped a lot of extra qualifiers on which types of potential masters he was allowed to be offered for sale to, so he’s rather older than average for a first time sale.  
> Sai is fully human. He doesn’t have the canonical amount of training and experience in killing, since his master was a civilian, and he didn’t start attending proper classes until after his catatonia, so around age 9 or 10, probably. What little he _did_ know about fighting and killing techniques prior to that were things Shin passed on to him. Their master was his first kill. The lack of remorse over it is pretty similar, though. Also, no one’s ever given him chakra ink to work with so far, so he’s not actually aware of the ability as of yet. Hopefully he’s not too OOC. I always stop watching or reading about the time he shows up in the manga, so I’m not very familiar with him.  
> (Also, I don’t buy the speculation that he’s an Uchiha. Where Ino fantasizes over Sasuke and Sai fighting over her, it’s pretty clear that the facial structure and skin tone are very different. Not to mention the chakra ink animals ability Sai has is _extremely_ different from the Uchiha kekkai genkai. I think it’s far more likely that the apparent similarities are a reflection of Kishi’s conception of what young-ish girls consider a ‘handsome guy’.)  
> Shin was perhaps about half human, with dribs and drabs of various youkai bloodlines making up the rest. One of the rare few who got extremely unlucky in the genetic lottery. He picked up an illness, and instead of eliminating or resisting it _(youkai bloodlines tend to be a little sturdier against diseases than pure humans),_ his genetics basically metastasized it into something that quickly turned lethal. If his master had brought him in a few weeks earlier when he first showed signs, instead of abusing him for it, they probably could have cured it.  
> Yes, I thought about keeping Danzo as his owner originally, but…then I realized that Sai’s too much younger than Kakashi for it to match up in this particular AU, given that Danzo got executed while Kakashi was still a pre-teen.


	8. Speculation, Information, and the Hair of Doom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rambly whatevers. Basically propounding on Kakashi, I guess. I never did get to the scene I actually started this chapter in order to write...  
>  _(Ah, the joys of being miserably sick and unable to track a thought for more than five minutes at a time, haha.)_  
>  Anyways, hopefully it's enjoyable.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kakashi isn’t particularly _more OP_ than in canon, but several things have influenced how he’s developed his skills and which ones he’s chosen to focus on to begin with.  
> First, his father is not dead, neither are Minato and Kushina. So he’s not grieving over them, per se. Although he’s still pretty unhappy over the whole Obito dying incident.  
> Second, because they thought they had to keep him far from Kurama, after Minato and Kushina, all his masters have been people who lived well outside of Konoha area. So he’s never really run missions for the sake of the village. Constantly being in places he’s unfamiliar with and needing to protect Rin caused him to develop his skills in intelligence gathering and take advantage of several existing information networks to string together a tangled weave of information that makes its way to him. He takes advantage of any missions for a master, as well as travel with a master, to pick up extra information. He’s also kept building up the basic fuuinjutsu skills he was taught, almost as much as a way to give Minato and Kushina the finger as for how useful they are. Kind of a ‘see, I don’t need you’ type thing.  
> Third, but not least, his wolf-shifter bloodline. Natural wolves are _fucking fast_ , as well as having jaws powerful enough to crack bone. Now imagine a wolf with chakra, genius-level intellect, and the ability to take human form. That little bit of other, unknown youkai blood also makes it easier to channel his lightning the way he wants it to work. It also ameliorates the drain of the sharingan to some extent.  
> Fourth, he _is_ a slave. Because of his status, he’s seen a lot less direct fighting than in canon, and a lot more assassinations. His ability to ‘keep up’ with dragons and Gai is _largely_ due to his wolf shifter heritage. His taijutsu is frankly subpar compared to his canon self. He has to be a lot less direct about copying techniques and using them, too. Fortunately most people don’t really care what techniques a slave sees. But he spends a lot more time quietly analyzing how they work and practicing when he’s alone than using them in direct combat to freak enemies out. In some ways, his actions are a lot meeker, but in other ways, he thinks a lot more for himself because he’s been forced to in order to survive and keep Rin safe. On the other hand, he’s never been an ANBU captain or Konoha jounin, so his experience at being a leader is minimal, even though he’s a natural at it.
> 
> So is he more OP than canon? Eh, sorta _‘six of one, half dozen of the other’_ type thing. Basically he’s on par with canon Kakashi, minus all the things canon Kakashi pulls out during the Madara/Obito-Kaguya thing in canon, because for all his work at keeping his pack safe, he’s literally never been pushed to a wall so badly that he _has_ to learn those extra things. Likely never will be, either.

Kisame may be the Monster of the Mist, but he’s beginning to think _Kakashi_ is a bit of a monster too. Not because he’s an assassin, or because of his wolfy heritage, or because of his ability to drive people to straight up annoyance in seconds flat or alternately give them the creeps. No, it’s because of his sheer ability to _learn_ , remember, analyze, and _act_ on the information when there’s an opportunity. To _use_ what he’s learned. And no, he doesn’t _just_ mean the jutsus that Kakashi copies quietly with frightening competence.

His ease of knowledge about people and things across the elemental nations makes it clear that he has some sort of information network available, possibly set up to help him protect the sole member of his pack. Whichever the case, his little wolf carries a boggling amount of information and skills in his head. _If he were free… Well._ The ability to pick extremely useful members for his pack out of a crowd with little or no acquaintance is almost terrifying, as well. Although it had taken Kisame a few days to put together exactly what Kakashi had done by way of claiming the ‘useless’ slaves for his pack.

The not-so-timid Shiranui, who apparently hides an armory of senbon in his long hair and has a gift for reading Kakashi’s moods and intention. Maito, who can rival a dragon for his strength and is a master of knowing a body’s limits and improving them. Nara, who is the laziest creature Kisame has ever met but far more dangerous for his mind than his skill with his shadows. Umino, the loudmouth weakling who can literally talk a jounin level dragon into throwing in the towel, placed at a distance from the pack, but still a part of it. _(Away from Kakashi’s sensitive ears, but still for his amusement, if Kisame’s any judge.)_ Rin, who likes feeding his sharks, and knows more about poisons than anyone should be comfortable knowing outside of a poison specialist, and is a medic of enough skill that anyone in charge of a hospital would probably cheerfully kill to get her on their staff. _(If she wasn’t creepy as hell, because she’s crazy. Even ninja get creeped out by crazy.)_ And Kakashi himself, who is the possessor of many skills and the master of many.

 _‘Pack’_ apparently means _‘small army that would give any jounin team nightmares’_ to Kakashi.

“You look pleased.”

Kisame looks down and finds the Nara is lying by a chair, with a pile of scrolls beside him and another open in front of him. _Ah yes, the passing out while being upright thing. Sensible of him to start on the floor to begin with._ “Just thinking about Kakashi’s choice of pack members.”

“Ah. I suppose that’s fair, since you’re his mate and what’s his is yours. Or was it the whole _‘the pack could take out an entire team of ANBU without breaking a sweat’_ thing?”

He laughs. “Some of both. ‘Mate’?”

There is a slight pause. “You really didn’t know.” The Nara sounds incredulous, then sighs. “Okay, here’s how it works. A wolf shifter will never show such open body language towards someone not their mate unless they’re terrified of punishment for not doing so. Kakashi is not afraid of you, so it’s not that. So, therefore he considers you his mate. While technically, the pack is under your authority as a master, we all know how thin that is when it comes to legal exemptions for Hatakes. As his _mate_ , though, he actually _trusts_ you with us. Well, with what is his. Which in this case happens to be the pack. What also happens is that he regards you as his to protect if required, and what is yours as to be protected. Since he _is_ a slave, however, that does require your permission to allow him to do so. Which apparently you gave, or near enough. If he just needed to protect Rin, Gai would be a sufficient addition.”

“You’re saying that you, Shiranui, and that idiot teacher are to protect _me?”_

“Not so much _you_ , because you can protect yourself just fine, but to protect what is _yours_. Strictly speaking, I’m- I _was_ one of Konoha’s best strategists and my ability with the clan jutsus is higher than average. Konoha can’t kick up _too_ much of a fuss, because my falling asleep at random is a serious liability in the field. But sending Iruka sensei back buys you all kinds of good will from Konoha. Not only did you send back an active ninja instead of keeping both as you legally could have, and a very popular teacher at that, by sending him back, you gave them information on where I am and in whose care. Did you know that Konoha’s current Kage was tasked with Kakashi’s protection when he was a child? My father met him a few times. At any rate, he and his wife still remember Kakashi and Rin quite fondly, and my father will be relieved to know I’m in a Hatake’s pack. He’ll even stop my mother from rampaging and trying to take over Mist to get me back.” The kid hesitates, then mumbles, “Probably.”

Kisame doubts he needs to worry about it, since the Nara is only mildly concerned about it.

“Then there’s Genma, who was trained as a bodyguard before some asshole thought sticking him in sex work was a better idea. And likes his senbon a little too much to have _not_ had some assassin training at some point. He _looks_ so harmless because of his specialization, that most people won’t see it coming. Put him at a safety point to guard Rin and your servants and he can hold his own indefinitely.”

“I see.” Kisame contemplates that for a few moments, then asks, “Does that mean Kakashi knows some fuuinjutsu?”

“Considering he spends at least an hour a day holed up in your fuuinjutsu section, I’d say that’s quite probable.”

“You’re an interesting kid. What’s your name, Nara?”

“Shikamaru.”

He groans, because that should have been predictable. “Does your entire clan use ‘deer’ in their names?”

“Nah, just the head family, and just for the kid expected to be Clan heir.”

Kisame chokes. Undoubtedly, Kakashi had _known_ that when he decided to claim him as part of his pack. _‘One of Konoha’s better strategists’ his scaly hide!_ Any ninja with half a brain who has _ever_ thought of stepping foot near the Land of Fire knows who Shikaku Nara is and what he is to Konoha. As Shikaku’s son, there’s zero doubt that the kid had been slated as Konoha’s future _Chief Strategist_ aka _Jounin Commander._

“Don’t worry about it, one of my cousins-”

He waits for the kid to finish and finally realizes that he’s fallen asleep.

 _Well, damn. Master of many skills indeed._ It is interesting though, Shikamaru implying that the only reason Konoha isn’t willing to start a war to get him back over Kakashi deciding to keep him is, well, because of Kakashi. His bloodline and his past. _Though he does have to wonder what happened that Kakashi needed to be placed under the protection of Namikaze and his Uzumaki wife._ Probably nothing Kakashi would be willing to talk about. Usually it’s something pretty bad to let a dragon anywhere near ownership of a Hatake. Even he knows that. _Fuuinjutsu section, hm?_

~

“What are you reading, little wolf?”

Kakashi doesn’t even bother twitching. There’s no way that Kisame doesn’t know that he heard his conversation with Shikamaru. “Mmn. An ancient Uzumaki fuuinjutsu designed to preserve and dye clothes in complex patterns without the use of dye. I think. I’m having a bit of trouble translating the text.”

“Oh? What else might it be?”

“Could be one for turning a straw umbrella into a lightning rod. Hard to say.”

“Into a…?” Kisame trails off, shaking his head. “Uzumakis are crazy.”

“I thought it was a given that all dragons are crazy?” He asks innocently.

Kisame bursts into laughter. “Like wolf shifters are crazy if separated from their pack?”

He looks up at that instead of just observing Kisame with peripheral vision. “We do. I was a vicious little shit until I accepted Rin and Obito as my new pack. And they made sure my tou-san was sedated when they separated us.”

“Really? How does that work if wolves won’t accept being separated?”

“You mean for the Institutes? It’s not uncommon for a child of fourteen or so to separate from a parent’s pack. So they usually just wait until we’re around that age to separate wolf shifters.”

Kisame frowns but doesn’t comment.

“Have you heard of Danzo Shimura?”

“Who hasn’t?”

 _Yes, well. They had publicized that execution rather thoroughly, come to think of it._ “Saa… Well, he forgot to account for the fact that a child might be motivated to report him to the Institute. They felt we’d be safer apart since he wasn’t properly apprehended.”

He yelps and drops the scroll hastily so it doesn’t get damaged as Kisame stoops and lifts him easily.

“Little wolf, you didn’t have to tell me. I didn’t ask.”

“You were curious.” Kakashi says sulkily. It’s weird to have a master who’s considerate of his feelings. Not that he’d bother to tell one who wasn’t. He does have _some_ standards, after all. Besides, Kisame is… _Well, Shikamaru wasn’t wrong. That’s all he’s going to admit to on that._

~

Kakashi glowers at Kisame as a heavy collar, _one of the carefully padded ‘display collars’ that rich folk sometimes use to show off at hoity-toity events by way of leading their personal sex slaves around by a leash,_ is fastened around his throat. He does not, however, so much as twitch. Not with Genma using pointy objects to try to tame his _100%_ _uncooperative_ hair, and with Rin carefully painting opalescent and most certainly _poisonous_ polish on his nails. Though it does take effort not to wince as yet another of Genma’s pointy objects scrapes across his scalp, only to escape, bounce off the floor with a clank and stick in the wall briefly before it droops as gravity prevails, then falls to land with several smaller clanks before stilling in a heap of pointy object and ornamentation. It’s far from the first time and he pretends he doesn’t hear Genma’s muttered curses as he goes to retrieve the hair ornament that _refuses_ to stay put.

“I’m not a sex slave.” He argues, although they’ve been through this before, and it’s not like Kisame _needs_ his consent to force him to do this.

“Funny thing, that. I’m quite sure that’s what I bought you as.”

_He had._

“Why is it blue? Assassins wear black.”

“I’m not taking you as an assassin. And you look nice in Hoshigaki blue.”

“I’ve got scars, though. Sex slaves don’t have scars.”

Kisame chuckles and retreats to let Shikamaru move in with makeup.

_Does he want to know why Shikamaru has better skills at applying makeup than Rin does? No he does not. But it was either him or Mei, and he doesn’t want Mei anywhere near his face when he’s not allowed to move._

“This would be easier if you had longer hair.” Genma complains.

“Well, I-” He starts to hassle Genma, only to be interrupted by Shikamaru.

“Kakashi, don’t take this wrong, but _shut up_ and _quit moving your face_ if you don’t want eyeliner in your teeth and rouge on your eyebrows.” Shikamaru looks annoyed enough that he promptly complies, then hastily closes his eyes as Shikamaru starts working.

He feels Rin finish up the last nail and hears her cap the bottle.

“I know a jutsu. Kakashi-kun taught me.” She offers.

Kakashi is curious about this, until she moves around behind him and he abruptly remembers the hair growing jutsu he invented for her after that one pair of sword wielding maniacs got too close to her in their fight and accidentally chopped off half her hair on one side. He displays his superior willpower by _not_ promptly kawarimi-ing out of the room and disappearing for a couple weeks. It’s been so many years since then that he’s surprised she remembers. Not so long that he doesn’t remember the peculiar side effect he’d designed into the jutsu, though. If he wasn’t afraid of getting a mouthful of face powder, he’d tell her to stop.

It’s not the longer hair that is the problem. _Well, okay, it is_. But he could deal with that for a single day. No, the real problem is that the jutsued hair is _impossible_ to cut with a blade. It affects the entirety of the hair, not just the jutsued part, and takes several months to start weakening the effect on new hair as it grows in. And knowing Rin…

_Yup. That is **definitely** well past his shoulders._

_Great. **Just** what he wanted. Not. _

Because he knows Rin well, he has no illusions. He has approximately a year’s worth of putting up with Rin playing with his _now waist-length_ hair ahead of him. She’s refrained from doing it to Shikamaru and Genma because she doesn’t know them well yet and she’d have to be blind to miss that they’re still faintly wary of her. Which is…reasonable, really. The way Gai effortlessly follows along with her little games and interprets her meaning from apparent nonsense is a blessing, but certainly not the normal response.

“Alright. I’m done. Now keep your hands away from it and don’t _smear_ it.” Shikamaru says.

He blinks his eyes open in cautious surprise, because that took _way_ less time than expected.

Shikamaru gives him a half-smirk, tidying away the cosmetics with efficient hands. “Sometimes less is more.”

Behind him, Genma curses, apparently discovering that Kakashi’s hair is _not_ more cooperative when long, but at least managing to keep hold of his pointy object this time. Kakashi snickers. “Rin, go pull out the hair items scroll for him. You should have done that to begin with, since you know making it longer does nothing to help.”

“Crunch, crunch.” She tells him in an amused tone.

_Yeah, well, he **could** have done it himself, but that would’ve been helping._

He narrows his eyes at her. “You didn’t add poison to my hair, did you?” _Something had felt different, and that is definitely a Rin type of thing to do._

“Just a sedative.” She allows. “The pack is resistant to most of the milder poisons by now, but nobles are stupid and servants don’t always get to choose what they brush up against. But anyone trying to control you by grabbing your hair won’t be standing very long.”

_This is why he adores Rin. She’s always so thoughtful._

Kisame tsks.

Rin pauses in rummaging through Kakashi’s small pack to look at Kisame, then nods. “Pack isn’t affected, blue dragon. You can still grab his hair to hold him down in bed.”

Kakashi squawks, flushing bright red. “Rin!”

_Besides, it isn’t true. Kisame doesn’t use his hair to hold him down. He just…likes running his fingers through it sometimes. And…_

Okay, he needs to quit thinking about it. He _refuses_ to get aroused while getting primped against his will for being paraded like prize _dog_ in front of a gathering of spoiled nobles and wealthy assholes. _That’s just wrong. So, so wrong._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kakashi’s hair is almost preternatural in its ability to resist keeping any type of hair item in place. He has a small storage scroll with hair items that all have mini seal arrays added to them to allow them to stay in place in his hair. He came up with the seal arrays, but only because Rin nagged him to begin with, and then periodically nagged him to add this or that item to the collection.
> 
> Yes, he has scars. He may heal a slight bit faster than average human rate, but not significantly so.
> 
> Also, his pack/duffle is purposely small enough and plain enough to avoid interest from various masters in the past. However, the inside of it is covered in enough seals that he basically has a small room’s worth of space to store things in. Much of it is actually empty, but what is filled is mostly filled with various storage scrolls filled with different types of things per storage scroll. Only he and Rin can access it, though. Anyone else looking into the pack will only find a couple sets of his normal clothing and a couple generic storage scrolls with basic weapons for his specialty.
> 
> Rin’s medical bag has a similar set up, but arranged more specifically for her. Hers has the normal things a medic slave is allowed access to, and then is divided into three sections that only she and Kakashi can access. One for medical texts that Kakashi _obtained_ for her without permission _(like Kakashi’s books, most of these are kept in scrolls, so this section is a lot smaller than one would expect)_. One for important personal items _(the smallest section)_. And _(the largest section)_ one for the more dangerous poisons and antidotes, as well as a few other medical items she shouldn’t have access to as a slave. She also keeps backup supplies in scrolls in this section rather than risk having them taken away for possessing _‘too much’_. Let’s just say she was _less than pleased_ the first time she ran out of bandages for Kakashi because slaves are only given a set amount of supplies. The Institute never did figure out what happened to an entire storage room full of bandages that mysteriously disappeared about a month after that… XD
> 
> About Shikamaru's makeup skills, I have one word for you: Ino.


	9. Fashion is a Demon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kakashi hates formal wear, particularly the slippers. He shouldn't be left alone at balls...or maybe alone would be safer than leaving him with gossipy nobles. An unexpected visitor arrives.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Annnd, once again, the scene I intended to write didn’t make it into this chapter. Oh well. Lol.
> 
> If there's any glaring errors, let me know. I've caught some weird ones in this chapter.

“Are those seal arrays?” Shikamaru asks suddenly, peering at the hair accruements that Rin is handing to Genma.

“Mmn-hmn.” Kakashi agrees absently, feeling Genma pulling his hair up into a high ponytail.

“Gloves first.” Rin says in a tone that means she’s reciting something.

_Ah, he knew there was something he’d forgotten to tell Genma._

“Wha-? Ah, right. Gloves.” Genma’s tone is baffled, but he drops Kakashi’s hair and lets Rin put the fingerless gloves on him. The pair Kakashi had made for Rin before she’d pointed out that her hands were a lot smaller than that. They might be a _little_ tight, but not impossible like the ones that actually _fit_ Rin.

“Okay?”

He can hear the faint squeak of leather as Genma flexes his hands. “Yes, they’re fine. But why do I-?”

Kakashi takes that as his cue and channels a bit of chakra into his hair. And yes, his hair normally looks like he tripped nose-first into a light socket, but _this_ little trick is something he picked up from Kushina and only made use of later on. Of course, _lightning chakra_ isn’t what she uses but well… The results of using any other type tends to be _interesting_.

Making Rin laugh herself sick is one thing, but he doubts Kisame would be impressed by a hair disaster that makes his normal hairstyle look tame and well behaved. _It’s tempting, of course, now that he thinks about it._

On the other hand, the faint indrawn breaths of surprise are impressed enough to still the urge for the moment. He has a fair idea of what it looks like, of course. The silvery stuff floating on its own and throwing off tiny, half-hearted sparks. Like some sort of demented snow fairy. Although Rin says it’s very pretty. _He’s not sure which description is worse, to be honest._

“Ah, I see. _Gloves._ ” Genma says in a tone of enlightenment.

“They’ve got fuuinjutsu to neutralize the static shock.” Kakashi informs him laconically. Hair’s not all _that_ great of a conductor, so that’s really the worst it can do _on accident_ , after all, but it still hurts. Thus the gloves. “The chakra feeds the seal arrays, so you should have no problem getting the ornaments to stay in place now.”

Kakashi wonders if the look on Shikamaru’s face means he’s trying to figure out how to ask for a pair of the gloves, or how to ask how to make his own hair do that.

“You couldn’t have said something _before_ I wasted my time trying to get things to stay?” Genma grumbles, not quite under his breath.

“Maa, maa…” _Well, he could have..._ “I forgot.”

~

Kakashi is bored. So, so bored. And his feet hurt. He has no idea how Genma has done this for years. The thin slippers are no protection, and somehow manage to be worse than fighting barefoot. And that’s just from following Kisame around. At least Kisame forwent the leash. Or rather, had bought a collar that didn’t have an attachment for a leash to begin with. He’s not sure if that’s because Kisame was being considerate of his reaction, or if Kisame just wanted to mess with the nobles’ minds, but he’s _fairly_ sure it was the latter, given the looks that minor detail has drawn.

“Little wolf, go sit awhile before you trip and fall on your face.” Kisame interrupts his grumbling thoughts.

A little miffed at the notion he’d actually _fall on his face_ just because his feet hurt, but nonetheless grateful for the break, Kakashi takes the nearest seat he can find, and only belatedly realizes that he’s managed the _amazingly insolent_ action of sitting with a group of noble ladies. Who are all staring at him in open curiosity. “Ah… Hi?”

One of the ladies snickers softly. “Do stay. We’ve been curious all evening about the slave who managed to interest our dear Monster enough to replace his dead Itachi.”

Kakashi winces, because apparently leaving isn’t an option.

“Speak for yourself. I’ve been dying to touch his hair all evening.” Another lady says, reaching out, then hesitating before actually touching. “May I?”

 _What. The. Hell?_ He is totally lost here.

Giving a weak smile, he answers, “Sorry, I wouldn’t recommend it. My packmate put a high-grade sedative in it.”

“Ah.” She withdraws her hand, looking disappointed, then leans forward conspiratorially. “How does one do that? And you’re part of a pack?”

He regards her in surprise, then nods. “I’m a wolf shifter, a Hatake. And Rin used a jutsu, but I suppose a civilian could comb it through their hair for a similar effect.”

~

An hour later, Kisame wanders back to see how Kakashi’s fared with the group of nobles who cares more about gossip than whether someone’s a slave or not. Itachi had liked them well enough, but Kakashi is an entirely different creature. The scene is rather _busier_ than he expects.

Kakashi is standing behind a rather humble chair, apparently having forgotten his aching feet, using Rin’s hair growth jutsu on the elderly, retired Daimyo of Water. Closer inspection reveals an amazing pile of multi colored hair at Kakashi’s feet, and several ladies having their maids put their hair back up.

He bursts into laughter, because apparently his little wolf has managed to turn a good portion of a ball into a hair salon.

Kakashi startles, and Kisame doesn’t miss him tucking away an _extremely sharp knife_ that he has apparently been using to cut hair, _despite_ the fact that Kisame frisked him for weapons before leaving the estate. “Master.”

“Ah, Kisame.” The retired Daimyo turns in his seat, looking pleased. “Your slave does you credit. Where did you have him trained? I’ve never run into someone before who knew a jutsu to grow hair.”

He snorts and shrugs.

“I didn’t, your Excellency. He _invented_ that jutsu.” By Kakashi’s twitch, his guess is dead-on. “Little wolf, how are your feet?”

He casts a brief look of bitter dislike at his slippers, then smiles insincerely. “They’re fine, Master.”

“You’re a terrible liar, Hatake.”

Kakashi flinches, smile dropping. “These torture devices deserve to be burned, and whoever invented them is going to hell if I find them.”

Dead silence.

Dead.

Silence.

Then titters break out among the noble ladies. “Do give them some extra kicks from us, Kakashi, when you find them.”

Even the old Daimyo chuckles. “My wife held a similar sentiment in that regard, before she passed away. Unfortunately, the designer of the fashion has long since found their way to hell. It might be a bit difficult to find them.”

Kisame snorts. _Civilians._ “If you hate it that much, change it. You humans are always changing fashions anyway. It’s beyond me why you choose to keep the worst ones. Little wolf, come along. I don’t want my sharks getting fat because Rin’s worried about you.”

Mischief flickers through Kakashi’s visible eye for a split second before Kisame is grunting as he gets an armful of furry wolf shifter. He eyes the heap of blue crumpled on the floor, then shakes his head. _Apparently Kakashi can selectively leave his clothes behind when he shifts. Who knew?_ Well, that was one way to ditch court slippers. It’s not as if he can’t afford more. And there will certainly be more. He’s been suggesting a change of fashion for years, but humans are stubborn about the strangest things.

~

Mei flicks a glance up at Kakashi, who is perched in the rafters over the door, and rolls her eyes. _For a wolf shifter, he sure likes high places._ Opening the door in response to the earlier knock, she barely has time to register the other woman’s red  hair before Kakashi is dropping down beside her, sliding easily between them, his posture…not tense, but far from his usual faux laziness.

“What are you doing here, Kushina?”

The other redhead tosses a package at his head, which he ducks, so it lands neatly in Mei’s arms, then grins at him. “Delivering an order!”

_Ah. Kushina Uzumaki-Namikaze? Good. She’s tired of replacing shredded sheets, even if Kisame thinks it’s funny._

“Kushi- Ack!”

Mei looks up to find that Kushina has Kakashi in a bearhug. _Huh. Well, not her problem. And it’s not like she hadn’t known that hand delivery as an excuse to check on Kakashi and Rin was a possibility when she placed the order._ Unlike Kisame, _she_ had read the file on Kakashi and his packmate. Besides, it’s not like the wolf is unable to dodge if he doesn’t want to be caught. _The dodgy little fucker._ He certainly gets enough practice playing keep away with her books. And at this point, she knows he does it solely to get a reaction, because Kisame spoils him rotten.

Granted, now it’s his books he’s doing it with, but since he insists on hiding _her_ books, if his happen to get scorched…well, it’s not going to hurt _her_ feelings at all. Though, the only reason she hasn’t made Kisame make the bratty wolf stop is because it’s actually improving _her_ reflexes.

“Oh, look at you! All grown up! And still so skinny! Are you eating right? Aww, your expressions are still so cute! How’s Rin? I’ll bet she’s grown up to be a beau-”

Kakashi growls low and threatening. “You leave Rin the hell alone, or I’ll let her use one of the poisons she’s been saving for the purpose.”

There is a pause as Kushina stares at him wide-eyed. Then she sighs. “She still blames us, doesn’t she? I suppose that’s fair enough. If we had been faster… I wish… Well, at least tell me how she’s doing?”

He stares at her narrow eyed, then sighs himself. “Rin’s healthy. Yes, she’s beautiful. Yes, she most certainly _does_ blame the pair of you, and she’s created some splendid poisons in her quest to make one that will get rid of _that kitsune_. She’s been doing better since the pack got larger. Gai in particular is good for her.”

_“You expanded your pack!?”_

Mei sticks a finger in her ear and wiggles it in annoyance. Her hearing isn’t as good as some, but that squeal made even her ears ring. She actually feels a little sorry for the wolf, whose hearing is well above average, but really, she feels no guilt about shutting the door on them and distancing herself from further squeals of untenable decibels.

~

Kakashi glowers at Kushina. _If he hadn’t added high-pitched noise dampening fuuinjutsu to his mask after running into that one asshole with a dogwhistle…_ “Yes, I did. Since Kisame doesn’t mind. Didn’t Iruka Umino tell you?”

She lets go of him and snaps her fingers, apparently just remembering. Which is, unfortunately, quite likely. “Oh, right. Shikamaru. And some sex slave named Genma? And two others, he said. I assume one’s Rin, so that makes the other…Gai?”

“Three.” He corrects. “There are three humans in my pack.”

“Three? So Gai’s human? And who’s the third?”

He gives her a very displeased eye smile. “That would be Iruka Umino. Did he not say?”

“Oh, right! I think Minato _did_ mention that, come to think of it. It’s not like Iruka sensei would’ve told me. He thinks I’m nosy for some reason. I try not to poke at him too much, because he’s capable of yelling even Naruto into submission and I hate it when that’s directed at me.” She nods, as if this is perfectly reasonable.

“That’s because you _are_ nosy. And a meddler.” He points out drily. _Good to know that the amusing human actually **does** have a lick of common sense._ “And lack naming sense.”

“Hey!”

“What? You do. Who names their kid after ramen? How much does he hate you for that?”

“I’ll have you know that Naruto _loves_ ramen! And you’re one to talk. Who names their kid ‘scarecrow’?”

“At least I’m not named after squished up dead prey used commonly as _food._ ”

She snort-laughs. “Okay, point. I know what Shikamaru’s like. What are the rest of them like? Oh, by the way, his mother made me promise to make sure he isn’t being tortured or starved or anything, so I’ll have to see him while I’m here. I _told_ Yoshino you wouldn’t do that, or tolerate it if someone else tried, but she went off on a rant, so I finally just agreed, y’know?”

_Must’ve been some rant to make Kushina give in._

“Saa…” Kakashi stalls, then remembers that it’s _that_ time of day. “I don’t have a problem with it. Rin’s feeding Kisame’s sharks right now, so you can meet the others if you want. As long as you leave before she’s done.”

_Nine minutes should be plenty, right?_

~

It’s not, of course.

Shikamaru takes one look at her and groans. “Troublesome. I’m not going back, and you can’t make me.”

Kushina rolls her eyes and lifts one finger. “All I need to do is ask you three questions. Don’t bother lying. Are you being coerced to stay here?”

The Nara snorts. “No.”

“Are you being denied any necessities of life?”

“Not at all. I even get to _sleep_ as much as I want here.”

“And lastly, what the _fuck_ do I tell your mother to get her to leave me alone about this?”

“Troublesome.” Shikamaru looks like the weight of the world has just landed on his shoulders. “Like I know? Make something up. Like I’ve fallen madly in love or some stupid shit like that. Or you can just tell her that I refuse to come back. Even if she shows up in person. _Especially_ if she shows up in person.”

“Oh, good idea. Kakashi, introduce me to the rest of the pack now!”

Kakashi sighs, knowing that saying ‘no’ will just result in her tracking them down anyways. _Stupid chakra sensors._ Genma is easy enough to find, and Kushina decides she likes him when he refuses to tell her anything useful. Finding Gai isn’t much harder, to be honest, but he _should have known_.

Putting two effusive people in the same room just results in unstoppable conversation. They’re still talking _loudly_ when Rin shows up. Before things can degenerate, he grabs Kushina by the waist and deposits her outside the front door, leaving Gai to Rin’s tender mercies. _Or lack of them._

“Time to go, Kushina. Besides, I don’t think Kisame would like finding you here.”

“Awww.”

“Why is that, little wolf?”

He blinks, then blinks again as he realizes that in his hurry to keep Rin and Kushina apart he’d _passed_ Kisame coming in. _Huh, so that’s why the door was open._ “Er…”

Kushina pats his arm. “Don’t worry, Kakashi. He’s not going to get all territorial unless he thinks I’m trying to take something of his. Hoshigaki, _(Can I call you Kisame?)_ , would you like to hear stories about Kakashi when he was little?”

One look at Kisame’s intrigued expression is enough to tell him that the answer isn’t ‘no’.

_“Fuck!”_

She grins in triumph. “So, Kisame, know any good tea houses around here? Kakashi’s already kicked me out and I probably shouldn’t test Rin’s temper by going back in.”

“Yeah, I do. Itachi used to love going around to all the teahouses.”

“Oh? ‘Itachi?’ As in Naruto’s Sasuke’s older brother? I’d heard he’d been sold to someone out of Mist, but…”

Watching them walk off together, Kakashi sags against the door lintel. At least she had _that_ much sense.

_Now… All he has to do is explain to Rin why he let her anywhere near the **rest** of the pack. Dammit. Why did he bother getting up today, again?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shikamaru is actually trying to figure out how to ask Kakashi to make _him_ some seal array hair ornaments without sounding girly. He’s seen Kushina lose her temper a few times, so it takes him about two seconds to make the connection and decide that if Kakashi can figure it out, so can he. And he has no reason to believe that Kakashi would have any hesitation about altering a pair of gloves for him if he asked. The risk of sounding like Ino on a quest to look pretty, though…  
>  _(Eventually he realizes that Kakashi has never met Ino, and just asks.)_  
>  Kakashi ends up with a more complicated hairdo, once Genma realized he isn’t forced to resort to the simplest hairstyle ever in the vague hope that it _might_ stay put. Part of it up and the rest of it loose and flowing. The hair ornaments do cancel out the floating and sparks, at least.
> 
> Kisame doesn’t use a leash for the simple reason that he doesn’t see the point. If something happens, he wants his hands free. That, and Itachi burned the first several leashes he bought. He got tired of replacing them. He figures Kakashi would be worse about it, given that he’s a wolf shifter, so he doesn’t even bother buying a collar with a ring to attach a leash. The surprise Kakashi notes from the nobles is less that he’s not on a leash and more that Kisame has found ‘ _a second Itachi’_. Which is kind of hilarious, since the two have very little in common. The lack of ring on his collar kind of just solidifies this assumption.  
> Kisame is surprised to find a change of fashion actually happens this time around. _(He knows for a fact that Itachi just henged his shoes after the first time, and burned every pair of court slippers Kisame bought him.)_  
>  He never does figure out where Kakashi hides that knife.
> 
> Mei doesn’t actually hate or dislike Kakashi. She just usually wants to beat him into last year for his antics.
> 
> As it turns out, there’s no need to explain to Rin. She’s not even angry over it, in large part because she’s much saner than she acts most of the time. She knows very well that Kakashi has never had any luck saying ‘no’ to Kushina. But he explains anyways. Which she thinks is _adorable._ So she makes him let her play with his hair as ‘reparation’, and he ends up falling asleep while letting her.  
> Kushina and Kisame end up as pen pals of a sort. She sends him information on how Iruka’s doing to pass on to Kakashi, and he sends her awkward updates on how Kakashi, Rin and Shikamaru are doing to pass on to the appropriate parties. His letters are short and stilted. Hers are long and informative, but he doesn’t actually read them, just hands them over to Kakashi to read. Kakashi has mixed feelings over it all.  
> Incidentally, Kushina tells Yoshino that Shikamaru fell madly in love with Genma at first sight, followed up by a highly imaginative spiel on why the pair of them feel like they should stay in Kakashi’s pack and whatnot. Yoshino doesn’t believe a word of it, but she’s smart enough to recognize a _‘fuck off and stay out of my life’_ secondhand from Shikamaru under Kushina’s tale. She finds it suitably reassuring. Oh, and she has a lot of fun reminding Kushina of various bits of it now and then _(every time she finds herself missing her lazy son)_ , and seeing how well she manages to keep her story straight. Kushina does a pretty good job at it, surprisingly.  
> Headcanon that Shikamaru and Yoshino actually get along a fair bit better than portrayed in canon, but on the surface no one would be able to tell the difference. Let’s face it, as Jounin Commander, Shikaku wouldn’t have the time to give Shikamaru the extra support needed to deal with his narcolepsy, so Yoshino would’ve had to. And there’s no way Yoshino wouldn’t know how hard Shikamaru works to get as far as he has.


	10. Surprises and Realizations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Random snippets from various povs. Sakumo, Sasuke, Kakashi, Shikamaru.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've got a couple scenes yet to go, but it may be a while before I get around to writing them.

**Sakumo flashback:**

Sakumo decides he may have a problem. A problem three inches shorter than him, with a snaky smell and scales when the whim strikes. A problem with long black hair so straight that even a curling iron can barely put a bend in it for an hour or two. _He knows this because Orochimaru has let the children try a few times while he’s busy working on papers, with that very result._ A problem that has a habit of aggressive cuddling to seek heat when sleepy or asleep.

A problem titled ‘Master’. Who is supposed to be a _temporary_ master, if he understands correctly how the protective custody, _which the Institute utilizes in cases like his_ , works.

It’s not a problem, per se, that he subconsciously tracks his master’s presence when in the vicinity. No, that’s second nature, and _always_ wise to do with _any_ master. _That’s_ not his problem in regards to Orochimaru. What _is_ a problem is that he has apparently grown used to Orochimaru’s scent being directly under his nose every night that he’s started to feel uneasy if Orochimaru’s scent fades too much from distance, and that he gets up to go looking for him without really being aware of his motivation. It’s…disturbing. He’s treating the naga, _his temporary master,_ as pack. And that… That has never happened before.

Also disturbing, is the fact that he’s followed his master _well off_ of his master’s territory before realizing what he was doing…and entirely without permission. He doesn’t fool himself that Orochimaru hasn’t noticed. Sakumo is good, but not so good that a ninja of Orochimaru’s ability _wouldn’t_ notice being followed after some time.

He _saw_ Orochimaru pause and taste the wind when it shifted and blew his scent forward for a couple minutes. Saw him decide to not address it. So apparently shadowing his master without orders _is_ allowed, but he still feels stupid for doing it without real intention.

It’s been a long time since he’s had pack besides Kakashi. There had been his parents pack, of course. One of the rare Hatake/Hatake packs. And then the ‘replacement pack’ members more or less forced on him when the Institute decided to separate and sell him. One had been an endearing klutz, meant as a civilian sex slave until a kitchen-related accident had given her a livid set of scars. It had been barely two years later, when she threw herself between Sakumo and an attacker, and died before he could even _try_ to help her or yell at her for the _utter stupidity of trying to protect him with absolutely no skills to defend herself_. And the other had been an asshole, though at least capable and not against working with him. Calling him ‘pack’ had been almost laughable, but neither of them had cared to enlighten the Institute. He’d died in his sleep, from a concussion that had been far more serious than either of them had suspected.

They’d tried to give him replacements at that point, but he’d been old enough to flatly reject every candidate they presented over the years, and snarly enough to scare off the more persistent ones. _Pack members are NOT interchangeable._ Eventually, of course, they’d given up and simply required him to breed, giving him Kakashi when he was old enough to be separated from the human breeder they’d assigned to birth him. Separating him from Kakashi had been… Four months later, even the thought still made him seethe.

_His own fault. He had not reported Shimura. Kakashi, too smart for his age, had seen it and saved them both, saved them all by reporting it. And if he could not be trusted to protect his son by protecting himself from staying with a master like that…well, he had no business keeping his son, now did he? Because they rightly couldn’t trust him to not simply bow to-_

Orochimaru looks up at him from the fire he’s made for the night. “Sakumo, I don’t know what you’re sulking about up there, but at least come down and put your heat to good use.”

He almost falls out of his tree in surprise, then winces as he realizes the breeze has shifted around again, and Orochimaru has been getting a faceful of his distress and self-directed anger. Obediently, he hops down, setting aside his useless thoughts.

“Master.”

“Hm? And what dire need do you have that you decided to stalk me today?”

“I…” Sakumo swallows and can feel himself turning red. “Um. I was following your scent and didn’t realize you…uh…had left your lands for a while. I was going to go back, but then the wind shifted and…”

Orochimaru’s lips quirk slightly, and he surmises wryly, “And you saw me notice your presence and didn’t want to make me think you were running away by turning around and going back?”

He swallows again and nods warily.

His master gives a soft huff of laughter. “Very well. As long as you don’t run off to visit your son, you can come along.”

“I _know_ better than that!” Sakumo protests indignantly.

“But you want to anyway.”

“I…can’t.” He looks away. “Kakashi would never accept his new pack if I visited him. And he’ll… He’ll need them. I can’t take that from him.”

“Hm.” Orochimaru regards him with a spark of incomprehension in his eyes, then shrugs in that boneless manner of his. “Come, sit. My back’s cold from the wind.”

Sakumo feels his lips quirk in faint amusement. _Of course the naga would be cold. No wonder he’d let him come along without commenting until now. Mobile heater._

~

Sasuke eyes the idiot wind dragon’s idiot mother warily, then opens the large box she handed him a moment ago claiming it’s a gift from someone he knew, and which he’d promptly had to drop, because even with chakra it is too heavy for him.

The first thing he sees is the absolute pile of neatly wrapped gifts inside. _What the-?_ Then he sees that one corner is filled with a stack of letters. The top one has his name on it in fancy, cribbed writing that he recognizes. It takes him a couple moments to place it as _Itachi’s_ writing, though. No one has heard from Itachi since he was sold to some Mist nin.

_Oh, right. Kushina had mentioned that she was making a delivery to Water before disappearing for a few weeks. Not that he had cared, since he’d been seething over Naruto spending extra time with Sakura._

He opens the first letter, ignoring Kushina, who promptly ruffles his hair and wanders away, and starts reading. The handwriting inside is in a different, bolder handwriting.

  _*Dear otouto,_

_I believe you may wish to start at the bottom of this stack of letters, since they are in chronological order, starting from there._  
I’m afraid this will be my last letter to you, as my disease has finally gotten the better of me. Kisame has been kind enough to write this for me, as my hands are shaking too much for my writing to remain legible for more than a word or two at a time.  
I have asked Kisame to deliver my letters and the presents I have bought you if he ever happens to come across you. The presents may be opened in any order. Know that I love you, and will watch over you from the afterlife.  
~Itachi Uchiha

_P.S. The brother complex is strong in this one. He’s started coughing up blood again, so I’m making him rest before he manages to kill himself a few days early.  
 ~K* _

 

The signature is in his nii-san’s handwriting, but terribly shaky, the surname almost entirely illegible.

Itachi…is dead?

It’s like a kick to the gut. But…no, he can’t cry. Itachi’s watching him from the afterlife and he’d do that annoying forehead flick thing if Sasuke cries over a _letter._ He’d known, of course, that it was _likely_ that Itachi was dead; he’d just refused to believe it.

_Fine, then! He’ll just open all the presents first and enjoy them before reading the rest of the letters. Stupid nii-san!_

~

Kakashi _knew_ , of course, that Kisame was one of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist, and that the swords all had… _interesting_ abilities. He _knew_ it did something to chakra, consumed it somehow. However, since Kisame has never used it against him in a spar, it’s something he’s never contemplated that much other than making a mental note to not let it get too close to him if Kisame _does_ decide to use it in a spar.

So, he’s entirely startled when his _excessively long_ hair, tidily kept in a braid because he’s not masochistic, falls over the edge of the bed, incidentally draping over the blade since Kisame likes to keep it close at hand, and there follows a _sound/not sound_ that remarkably resembles chewing and slurping. Warily, he gets up enough to peer over the edge, wide-eyed, at the sword that manages to give off an air of smug satisfaction and has a few sparks dancing merrily over the vicious ridges of its wrapped blade edges.

He gives Kisame a slightly freaked look. “Erm. Does it do that often?”

“Not often outside of a fight, no. But…” Kisame reaches out and tugs on Kakashi’s braid. With a brittle tearing sound it comes off in his hand. “I think he likes the taste of your hair jutsu.”

Kakashi stares at the braid in mild horror. The part that fell across the sword resembles hair of a corpse long desiccated and left to the mercy of the elements for years. Brittle, dry, lifeless. Numbly, he lifts a hand to his remaining hair to check how far the damage extends.

Kisame chuckles. “Why don’t you go get Rin to tidy that up for you?”

He stares for another minute, then snags his deceased braid out of Kisame’s hand. “Yeah. I’ll go…do that.” _The poor thing deserves a burial._

~

Shikamaru would like to state for the record that he has no clue how or why he has ended up sleeping on top of his packmates. His head on Rin, chest supported on Kakashi, hip to thigh draped across Gai’s chest, and Genma curled up under his legs. He blinks, checks idly to make sure he hasn’t _drooled_ on Rin, because that would be gross, then carefully peels himself off of them. It’s notable that none of them stir or wake as he does so, because all of them are paranoid to some degree and light sleepers. Particularly Kakashi. Even more notable is the fact that they are all fully dressed and apparently napping in the middle of an uncultivated meadow, with Kisame sitting nearby on a rock, a makeshift fishing rod idly held in one hand. Also notable is the fact that Shikamaru feels refreshed and energetic, more so than he can remember in…well, since he can remember. _And he remembers turning two, okay?_

“Have any interesting dreams?” Kisame asks in a half amused tone.

 _That’s…odd. He has. And he usually doesn’t dream much, if at all._ “I suppose. I think I dreamed about Kurama. And about some asshole yelling at me, except it wasn’t me.”

“Kurama?”

“My friend Naruto’s kitsune slave.” Shikamaru stretches, amazed at the lack of lingering tiredness. “Except it was weird, because I dreamed about him before he was sealed into human form. But he hasn’t been in bijuu form since I was like five months old, so I have no idea why I’d dream about that.”

“And how are you feeling?”

 _Okay, this is not random questions, he can tell._ “I feel wonderful. Mind telling me what this is about?”

“Saa… Little wolf and Rin were having some argument over whether or not you can feed off of nightmares. Pretty sure I heard the word ‘baku’ in there a few times.”

Shikamaru frowns. “The Nara aren’t descended from baku. We have _records_.”

Kisame snorts, but doesn’t reply.

Kakashi opens his uncovered eye to gaze at him. “That may be so for the Nara _clan_ as a whole, but looks like Rin was right and somewhere along the line someone with a bit of baku blood married into the head family, or possibly the heritage mutated on its own for some reason.”

“I don’t-” He begins to refute in exasperation, then pauses. “Well, actually, that’s possible. Maybe. But baku? Really? So you think I eat dreams?”

“Well…” Kakashi sits up and stretches lightly. “Nightmares at least. I wouldn’t be surprised if you dreamed Kurama more than once and the dreams were similar but different.”

He frowns again, then realizes. “You and Rin. You were there when he rampaged?”

“We were. You might say he was the reason we were sold on. They got tired of preventing me from killing him for killing half my pack at the time, I suppose.” Kakashi gives him an insincere eye smile. “I should thank you. That’s my least favorite nightmare. I wasn’t looking forward to having to watch that memory play out again. Your shadows are a little ominous feeling in dreaming, but downright soothing compared to _that_.”

Shikamaru blinks a few times.

“Troublesome.” _Ino would be so jealous if she knew._

Still, he needs to reassess the level of his pack mates’ intelligence. _How have a half crazy slave medic and an assassin wolf shifter figured out the cause and a solution to his issue within a few months, when Konoha’s finest medics haven’t been able to for his **entire** lifetime?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naturally, because Itachi has a slightly sadistic habit of loving to see his brother make _‘gah!’_ faces, all the presents are slightly…weird. He amused himself by picturing Sasuke’s expression every time he picked one out. Many of them are rather useful, actually. Just…weird. Lol.
> 
> And so, Kakashi figures out the quick solution to too long hair protected by jutsu… He doesn’t get a chance to bury the braid, though; Rin confiscates it. To make handicrafts out of the undamaged portion. He sulks at her for weeks afterwards.


End file.
